Rebellious Hell
by Vegeta Goddess
Summary: In an A/U where Goku left with Raditz to save his family and friends, the Earth has been destroyed and all but Bulma have been killed by Turles who has taken Bulma as his lover. But then Goku runs across them in space and decides that HE want's Bulma G/B
1. Ultraviolence

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – Okay, for those of you who may not know, Turles is Goku's twin brother who popped up in the movie 'tree of might.' This fic is an A/U based around what might have happened if Goku had gone with Raditz and left the Earth open to attack, namely from Turles.

This first chapter, the prologue, is going to be** Bulma's POV**, but only this chapter, the other chapters will all be in 3rd person POV. 

Anyhow I just ask that people be open minded about this fic, be prepared for lots of lemon, angst and most likely romance. Enjoy!

A big thankyou to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me! ^_^

Prologue –Ultraviolence- by Vegeta Goddess 

(Lyrics 'Ultraviolence' by New Order)

**@--8------**

Who saw those dark eyes 

**Who saw those dark eyes**

**These years gone by**

**Deep within**

**Burn my skin**

**All those years gone by**

**In the heat of the night**

**All those years gone by**

**@--8------**

I can still remember the day that our world began its first few spirals into darkness, the day that the world's hero left us behind.

Raditz stood almost seven feet tall, his hair reached down to his ankles in jaggered spikes and a ferocious scowl marred what could have been attractive features. Raditz was everything Goku was not; cruel, evil, malicious and devious. He appeared to know everything about Goku, his brother whom he called Kakarot, and what little Raditz didn't know he was quickly able to piece together.

Within minutes of Raditz's untimely arrival, all of those who were gathered on Kami Island knew that Goku was a saiyan and that he had been sent to Earth to destroy it. It was easier for us to accept this then it was for Goku. But Master Roshi confirmed everything that Raditz told us, and soon enough even Goku was forced to believe that indeed he was born to be a murdering planet pirate.

Raditz soon discovered that Goku had been hit on the head as a baby and had forgotten his mission to destroy Earth and kill all life forms. 

Goku took it pretty well, all things considered, but no matter how well he had taken the news, what Raditz said next was something that none of us had been prepared for.

He told Goku that he had to leave with him, that he had to leave the Earth and his family behind and join the last remaining saiyans in space.

Goku declined, but Raditz new he would of course and knew exactly how to get Goku to change his mind.

He threatened to kill us, all of us, and after quickly beating Goku in a scuffle brought on by these threats, it was obvious not only that Raditz would do exactly as he had threatened, but that he had the power to do it too.

And so Goku had left with his long lost brother, he said his goodbyes to his son and his friends and had gone.

I had thought then that I would never see Goku again, of course I was wrong.

**@--8------**

**Who felt those cold hands**

Who felt those cold hands 

**Touch my skin**

**Deep within**

**Burn my soul**

**Fell to the ground**

**Where I was found**

**All those years ago**

**All those tears ago**

**All those years ago**

**@--8------**

Two years had passed since Goku had left us and, slowly but surely, we had all given up hope of ever seeing him again.

But then he came.

There was no warning of his coming; I just woke up one day to find Capsule Corp in chaos and most of the world's largest cities destroyed by his gang of thugs.

His name was Turles, and it was he who ultimately destroyed the Earth.

He landed on Earth and planted a seed, which sucked out the Earth's energy, killing everything, plants and animals alike.

The Z gang tried to defend the Earth to the best of their abilities, and to give them credit, they were able to take out nearly all of Turles' men. But, when they were faced with Turles himself, the Z warriors fell one by one; Gohan, Yamcha, Krillen, Master Roshi, Tien, Choutzu and even Piccolo fell victim to his power.

And the whole time they were fighting Turles, the seed he had planted was flourishing, tearing through the worlds cities until a giant tree stood tall, feeding off the Earth's life energy to grow it's hellish fruit.

For the fruit from the tree of might had the ability to give the person who ate it incredible strength and it was this fruit, of course, which Turles thirsted for.

After the Z fighters were gone, the world stood no chance against him. Turles devoured the fruit and set out on a destructive rampage across the globe, killing anyone who had survived the initial growth of the tree.

And soon enough Turles stumbled upon me.

When I first saw him I thought it was Goku, for Turles was the mirror image of his brother. It wasn't until he spoke that I realised that this _beast_ wasn't the man I had grown up with.

I alone was spared the fate which the rest of the Earth suffered; death. And in return for his apparent favour, Turles demanded that I become his lover.

And so, his strength now God-like from the fruit, Turles and his few remaining men left the Earth with me in tow, their esteemed leader's personal whore.

Turles was never cruel to me. I was never treated badly by him or any of his men, in fact, they were for the most part, civil to me. But each night Turles would take me into his bed and would use me again and again. 

It had been three years since Goku left, one year since the Earth was destroyed, and not a day goes by that I wouldn't give anything to see Goku's smiling face one more time, to know that he's still alive.

Instead, I have to content myself with a face almost identical which stares at me with such passion in its gaze that sometimes I fear for my safety.

**@--8------**

**Everybody makes mistakes**

**Everybody makes mistakes**

**Even me**

**Just be free**

**This is a place**

**Where in the end**

**It happens in**

**Our world within**

**@--8------**

I lie in bed, Turles' arm wrapped possessively around me, my blue hair frames my face as I stare up at the ceiling. I know Turles is still awake, but he doesn't move or make a sound as he lies next to me, his tail twitching.

"Turles?" I hesitantly speak, unsure of how to talk to my lover.

"Mmm?" He yawns and his arm detangles from around me, giving me leave to turn over and stare at him. "What is it?"

"Why didn't you kill me?" I have never before asked Turles why he spared my life. I always assumed it was simple lust, but at times I have caught him staring at me from the corner of his eye, as if he is as puzzled by my feelings towards him as I am of his. He does not love me, I know that, but sometimes I feel that there is more to him keeping me alive them he tells me.

Now Turles stares at me as if I've gone mad, his usually scowling face now has a curious look on it. "What does it matter?"

"I don't know, it just does." I ignore his tail as it sweeps up my body and curls around my thigh; this is just his way of distracting me.

"I wanted a woman, you suited my purpose." He shrugs and moves closer to me.

"But _why_? Of all the woman you came across why me?" I allow Turles to take me into his arms.

Once again he shrugs. "You didn't scream when you saw me." He kisses my neck affectionately. "You feared for your life, I could smell your fear, but you didn't run or scream or faint. Maybe I thought you deserved to live."

I know that Turles won't tell me anymore, his eyes have a burning look to them as he pulls me closer yet, his hands stroke down my body as if I were a pet of some kind and he nibbles on my ear.

Despite my best efforts I giggle.

I do not love Turles, I do not even like him very much, but I would be lying if I said I do not enjoy sex with him.

Turles is a very passionate lover and everything he does to me is designed to arouse. Even from the very first time he took me he was gentle and caring with me, always careful not to hurt me too much, even in the very throws of passion.

Strange as it may be, I am glad that I didn't die on Earth with the rest of my species. I am now the only human being alive in the universe and although at first the thought of taking my own life crossed my mind many a time, I have since accepted my fate.

I am Bulma Briefs, the lover of a murderer who destroyed my planet, friends and family. Yet, despite all this, a gleam of affection lies within me for this man.

**@--8------**

Time to go 

**Time to go**

**@--8------**

A/N – Okay that is the prologue, I hope it wasn't too shoddy, I'm not used to writing in first person POV you see. Anyhow in the next chapter stuff actually happens, maybe a lemon, maybe some romance…all I know is that Goku is going to come onto the scene again.

This IS going to end up a Goku/Bulma!!!!

Please Review, feedback is good!


	2. Let Come What Comes

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – Thanks very much to the people who reviewed the last chapter. There is one more thing I should mention, and that is that parts of this fic were inspired by Hamlet, so don't be surprised if there are a lot of Hamlet quotes.

Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me! *Gives her chocolates* Chapter 1: 'Let Come What Comes' 

~*~

**_~*~ To Hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! ~*~_**

**_~*~ Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! ~*~_**

**_~*~ I dare damnation: to this point I stand - ~*~_**

**_~*~ That both worlds I give to negligence, ~*~_**

**_~*~ Let come what comes; ~*~_**

- - _Laertes from 'Hamlet'_

~*~

"Bulma! Bulma! Get your worthless hide out here!"

Bulma sighed and put down the miniscule screwdriver she'd been holding and pushed her latest invention off to one side. "What is it, Oitaroh?" 

"Turles wants you in the main room, now!" Oitaroh, Turles' right hand man and constant brown noser, leant against the doorframe of Bulma's room and impatiently shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for her. "Come on, come on, he said to be quick."

"I said I was coming." Bulma growled at him, not impressed with the snarl he dealt her in return. She had once seen Turles pound Oitaroh into a wall for daring raise a hand and hit her. Oitaroh has never touched Bulma again.

Deliberately walking as slowly as she could, Bulma made her way to the main room faintly aware of the hum of the big spaceship's engines under her feet.

_Maybe he knows, Bulma thought to herself as she neared the entrance, __maybe he somehow found out that I'm pregnant and he's going to make me get rid of it…_

Bulma roughly shook her head. Turles couldn't know she was carrying his child, she wasn't even sure of it yet herself.

"My Lord." Bulma bowed in Turles' direction as she entered the room and moved to stand beside him.

Turles was gazing out the window of the ship, his arms folded and his tail curled around his waist. He turned his head to watch her as she crossed the room, and once again Bulma saw something more animal then human sweep through his eyes as he watched her.

"Tell me, Bulma, have you ever heard of the planet Kramned?" Turles' voice was a velvety growl.

"The planet Kramn…Kramned?" Bulma stumbled over the unfamiliar word and blushed as Turles chuckled. "No, my lord, I haven't heard of it." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. After all, it wasn't like she'd spent her entire life travelling through space like Turles had, she didn't have a huge knowledge of the solar system like him and he knew it!

"I didn't think you would, but I decided to ask anyway."

"Why?"

"Why?" Turles repeated. "Because we're landing there tomorrow and we're going to get rid of the extremely dangerous natives and then sell the planet at a more then fair price to a buyer."

"Which buyer? Why are the natives so dangerous?" Bulma folded her arms and tried not to look as irritated as she felt. Why was Turles telling her all this?

"The buyer is none of your concern, but as for the natives, well, they very much are your concern." Turles looked back at the window, his sight zeroing in on the yellow and blue planet they were approaching. "You see, the natives of Kramned, or the Kramnamians as they prefer to be called, have a certain habit of attacking foreigners. More precisely in attacking females. So, when we set down tomorrow, I want you to keep out of sight."

"Well that won't be a problem, I would hardly want to watch you murder another race." Bulma looked away and under her breath muttered, "It was bad enough to have to watch you kill my own."

Turles' ear twitched and he frowned. "Tell me, Bulma, would you have rather me not told you of the danger forthcoming?"

"I…I guess I would have wanted to know," Bulma admitted reluctantly.

"Exactly. So stop whining." Turles glanced back at her, looking her up from head to toe. "I wouldn't want to lose someone like you, you're far to valuable." Turles smirked at her and Bulma felt herself blush.

"Am I valuable?" Bulma asked softly, wondering if Turles was going to admit how he really felt about her…If he liked her or despised her or just saw her as a whore to be used.

"Of course." Turles nodded once. "You're a brilliant scientist. Your inventions are priceless to us and therefore you are too."

"Oh." Bulma couldn't hide the tone of rejection. He didn't find _her valuable, just her brain._

"You may return to our quarters, I'll join you in a short while." Turles waved a hand and Bulma turned and left, her cheeks burning at the looks the other men gave her as she stalked past.

***~*~***

Goku stared regretfully down at the creature he had just killed and a great swell of pity swept through him for the aliens as he watched his brother, his own flesh and blood, take down five more of the tiny beings in a blast of ki.

"Kakarot, you fool! Just don't stand there gawking!" Vegeta appeared next to him briefly, his face set in its usual ferocious scowl. "We're not here to sight see you know!"

"Oh really, you think?" Goku snapped, launching himself into the air again, hating what he had become and hating the others for making him do this.

But, he had been forced to do what he did for his family and his friends. For Chichi, Gohan, Krillen, Yamcha and Bulma. He had become what he hated most to keep them safe back on Earth and one day soon he'd go back and see them again, reassure them that he was still alive and well.

Goku phased behind another of the aliens and snapped it's neck then blew away three more which were charging at him, desperately firing weak ki blasts in an attempt to stop him.

Crouched in a defensive position, Goku waited for more of the aliens to attack him…but none came. An eerie silence descended on the four Saiyan warriors who stood alone on the barren, charred and pock marked battlefield. 

"What pathetic creatures, almost as weak as Earthlings," Nappa commented, his eyes sliding sideways to see what effect his comment would have on Goku.

Goku ignored him. He stared balefully at the thousands of bodies that were littered across the ground, his prayers to Kami for forgiveness more important in his mind then any snide comment Nappa might make.

"Come on, let's not waste more time then we have to here." Vegeta dusted off his armor and yawned. "We have to rendezvous with Frieza in two days time and pick up our wages for blowing away these insignificant creatures."

"Yeah, let's blow this joint." Raditz glowered at his brother before launching himself into the air and following his prince back to their pods. Goku followed at a more leisurely pace, his thoughts back on his family and Earth.

He wondered how they were doing.

***~*~***

Bulma dropped her screwdriver with a shriek as two hands closed on her shoulders and lifted her from her chair, dumping her unceremoniously onto the bed.

Turles grinned at her shocked and unhappy expression as he pulled off his chest armor and jumped onto the bed next to her, his tail lashing about in excitement as he pinned her down and kissed her.

"Turles…I was in the middle of something," Bulma complained, aware of his sudden good mood and wary of it.

"Whatever it is you can finish it later. I want to play." Turles grinned wider and let Bulma wiggle from his grasp before pouncing on her again and pinning her to the bed. Bulma shrieked louder as he made as if to bite her, then let her wiggle free again.

Turles' idea of 'play' was much like a cat playing with a mouse before it ate it. He'd chase her around, occasionally knock her to the ground, sometimes pin her to the bed and mock bite her and sometimes he did much more.

All in the spirit of '_play' of course._

"Turles! This isn't funny!" Bulma fell to the floor with an 'oomph!' as he grabbed her ankle and didn't let go. She squirmed around, but was still unable to get free, so in a bold movement, Bulma changed tactics and threw herself in his direction.

Turles let go of her ankle and for a moment Bulma was pleased to see a surprised expression on his face, then she crashed into him and skidded across the floor, gently bumping into the wall.

Bulma sat on Turles' chest, panting, and pushed a strand of blue hair behind her ear. Turles caught her hand in his and pulled her down until she was lying on him, then he rolled over so he was on top and kissed her, his sharp canines pressed against her lips but didn't draw blood.

"See what you do to me?" Turles murmured as he drew back to take a breath. "I can't control myself when I'm with you."

Bulma rested her head on his chest. "I know."

"Is it like that with you too?" He asked, his hands stroking her soft hair.

"Sometimes, when I'm with you, I forget everything. I forget that all the people I love are dead and that my planet has been destroyed. I even forget that it's you who did it." She glanced up at him then lowered her eyes again. "I won't lie to you, Turles, I don't like you very much. But I respect you and I respect the way you treat me."

"How do I treat you?" Turles' voice was deceptively bland as if he didn't really care about the answer.

"You treat me like you treat the others…except for the bedroom part." Bulma let Turles kiss her then continued. "You listen to what I say and seem to hold my ideas in consideration. I appreciate being treated like I matter."

Turles was silent for a moment, when he spoke again his voice was a husky growl. "That's because you do matter, you matter far more then you can possibly imagine."

A/N – Okay so I didn't end up writing a lemon, sorry about that but I'm not in a lemon mood right now. My pet cat is sick and has to have a hysterectomy…get her uterus cut out for those of you who aren't medically minded. Anyhow in the next chapter we're going to flash back onto Goku again as well as a little bit on Turles' feelings…Does he care about Bulma or is he just telling her what she wants to hear?


	3. Between Heaven And Earth

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – Thanks to all my reviewers, it was cool of you all to review and give feed back. To that one person who is enjoying the Turles/Bulma relationship, I feel for you! Because Goku stumbles onto the scene very shortly!

Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me! *Gives her flowers* Chapter 2: 'Between heaven and Earth' 

~*~

**_~*~ What should such fellows as I do ~*~_**

**_~*~ Crawling between heaven and earth?  ~*~_**

**_~*~ We are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us. ~*~_**

- _Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

~*~

_Bulma kissed his face, covering it with affectionate feather soft kisses. Her body arched against his and she moaned, her fingers tangled in his spiky black hair._

_"Oh Turles! I love you!" _

_Her deep blue eyes met his and Turles bent to kiss her again, his heart almost bursting with the new knowledge that she loved him. His arms held her tight against his chest as their bodies continued to move against each other's._

_"Your mine, woman," Turles growled into her ear and possessively bit her neck, marking her as his mate…_

Turles jerked awake from his dream and lurched upright in bed, his eyes sweeping the room until he found Bulma's tiny, sleeping form huddled on the far side of the bed.

"Damn," Turles muttered as he flopped back onto the bed. He'd had dreams of himself and Bulma making love before…but she'd never said she loved him.

Turles' obsidian eyes gleamed in the darkness. He'd never tell Bulma, but it was his secret hope that she would fall in love with him and would consent to him making her his mate. 

But it was a useless hope, even if he didn't treat the woman as his whore, even if he hadn't killed her entire planet and everyone on it, she would still hate him. The only thing she liked about him was the sex, she'd said as much last night. It was so typical of him to fall for the one woman in the universe whose life he alone had completely destroyed.

Not to mention that he looked like her best friend. 

What were the odds that the one woman in the universe who he could love be the one woman whose life he had ruined, but would also be his identical twin brother's best friend?

_Goku. _

How he loathed that name now. Whenever he tried to talk to the woman about her life on Earth it was Goku this and Goku that. Goku the wonderful, strong, man who had left with the other Saiyans to protect the Earth.  

In the darkness of the bedroom Turles snarled silently. He had only met Vegeta once and had liked the man…but as for his other brother, Raditz, and Nappa…They were two weak blithering idiots who had their prerogatives all messed up. He hated them almost as much as he hated Goku.

Bulma muttered something in her sleep and rolled over, shivering as the sheet that had been wrapped around her slipped to the floor. She opened her eyes sleepily and retrieved the sheet before wrapping it around herself and, blinking away sleep, rolled back over to face Turles.

"Bulma." He gently pulled her body, sheets and all, into his arms.

"Hey, Turles," She greeted him, lifting her face for a kiss before yawning and nestling into his chest. "I was having the strangest dream."

"What about?" Turles idly played with Bulma's hair as she talked.

"Oh, it was nothing…It was stupid really…In my dream you got killed fighting those Kramned people and I was full of guilt because I hadn't told you yet." 

"Told me what?" Turles asked, his curiosity piqued.

Bulma pulled her hair out of Turles' fingers and sat up, looking at him seriously. "I want to tell you…but I'm not sure how you're going to react."

"Well, just tell me and we'll see." Turles watched as several emotions flickered over Bulma's expressive face before sighing and taking her hand. "I promise you that no matter how horrible this thing is, you have to tell me. I won't hurt you."

"Promise?" Bulma asked quietly.

"Yes, now tell me."

Bulma opened her mouth to speak and paused, her eyes closing as if stealing herself for a physical blow. "Turles I think…I think…" Bulma let out a breath and quickly blurted out her secret. "I think I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant," The word fell from Turles' stunned lips. "Your pregnant?"

"I don't know…but I think I am…Are you mad?" Bulma looked at him fearfully.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" A slight smile formed on Turles' lips. "It is mine, right?"

"Well who else's is it going to be? Of course it's yours!"

"Wow." Turles looked down at Bulma and kissed her reassuringly. "I'm going to be a father."

***~*~***

Goku followed Vegeta's lead and knelt in front of Frieza, gritting his teeth at the humility he was forced to display before this being who looked like a retarded gremlin turned drag queen.

"Ah, Prince Vegeta. How nice to see you again." The pink being motioned for Vegeta and his men to rise before slowly walking over and looking Vegeta up and down with a smirk. "Well, my little princeling, you certainly have buffed up since I saw you last."

Goku watched in fascination as Vegeta's tail bristled with indignation. He'd never seen Vegeta this controlled before. Usually, the hot-tempered Saiyan prince would have attacked the person who dared speak to him in such a manner.

"That you, your lordship." Vegeta's tone was barely civil and sarcasm dripped from each word like honey.

Frieza ignored Vegeta's insolent tone and turned to face Turles, recognition flashing across his face. "You look familiar, Saiyan…Have we met before."

"No." Goku glared at Frieza. "I grew up on Earth."

"Ah, an Earth-Saiyan…Tailless too." Frieza chuckled. "So what's your name, oh, tailless one?"

"My name is Goku!"

Raditz growled at his brother. "His name, my lord, is Kakarot, not Goku."

"Kakarot." Frieza nodded. "Yes a typical Saiyan soldier's name." 

He turned away, his pink tail lashing about as he strode back to his throne and sat down. "Well, Vegeta, did you conquer my planet?"

"In one short day, sire." Vegeta bowed his head again in apparent respect. "We are here only to collect our fee."

"Are you?" Frieza laughed suddenly. "I take it you'll be leaving us as soon as you have your pay?"

"Of course." Vegeta lowered his head again, his eyebrows in a perplexed frown as he wondered what Frieza was leading up to.

"So, I take it you're not going to be speaking to the Saiyan who is destroying the planet Kramned?"

"Saiyan!?" Vegeta leapt forward, his entire body tensing. "Which Saiyan?"

"A Saiyan by the name of Turles." Frieza smiled.

"Turles!" It was Raditz's turn to sound amazed. He whipped around to face Vegeta. "My prince, Turles is my brother! Kakarot's identical twin, to be exact."

"I know," Vegeta growled at Turles and motioned for him to step back beside the others. "I met him once or twice when I was young."

"Does that mean you'll be staying?" Frieza asked innocently. "I do hope so, it's so hard to find good training partners these days and you Saiyans are the perfect punching bags."

Vegeta schooled his features and looked back in Frieza's direction. "When will Turles be arriving?"

"Oh, I don't know, a few days time." Frieza flippantly waved a hand. "It won't be that long a wait."

"In that case, with your permission, Lord Frieza, I and my men wish to stay until Turles arrives." Vegeta bowed.

"Of course, Vegeta." Frieza smiled coldly again and chuckled. "My facilities are at your disposal." 

Vegeta bristled and turned away, motioning for his Saiyan companions to follow him out of the room. Goku gave Frieza one last unfriendly glare before following his prince, his mind on this new brother who would be arriving soon and what he would be like.

***~*~***

Turles finished pulling on his armor and stretched, his bland expression hiding the inner pleasure he was experiencing.

Bulma was carrying his child! And that meant that no matter how much she despised him she was tied to him forever now. She was, in effect, trapped in her relationship with him.

Although perhaps trapped wasn't the right word, Turles mused. After all, it wasn't like Bulma was unhappy about being pregnant. In fact, once Turles had assured her that he wasn't angry about the child she was carrying, she'd relaxed and had been only too happy to tell him about how much she wanted this child.

"Turles…you're going to be careful, right?" Bulma appeared from the bathroom, her hair loosely tied in a bun.

"Of course." Turles chuckled. "What's wrong?…You're not actually afraid I might get hurt, are you?"

Bulma blushed at his teasing. "I just don't want you getting killed, is all. If you're dead then Oitaroh becomes this little group's leader and he doesn't like me too much."

Turles playfully pulled Bulma closer to him and looked down into here eyes, unsure of how to tell her what he felt inside without appearing weak. "Bulma, I just want you to know that I don't view you as a whore anymore."

"You don't?" A light flickered to life in Bulma's glowing eyes.

"No…I view you more as…as…as a mate." Turles stuttered out, mentally cursing how hard this was for him to get out. "In fact, when I come back from fighting I'll tell my men and make it official."

"You look upon me as your mate?" Bulma asked in genuine surprise.

After spending almost a year with Turles and his men she knew that for Turles to view her as his mate meant that he had real feelings for her, more then just lust. If he really thought of her as his mate, it meant that he thought of her as _his. A mate to a Saiyan was like a wife to a man…Only the relationship was something that went much deeper than marriage, it was an emotional attachment that couldn't be broken._

Turles swallowed hard. "I like you, a lot…I'm not sure why, but I do. And since you're now carrying my child I see no reason not to commit to you."

Bulma felt a slow smile break out on her lips and she lent forward to kiss Turles, her mind a whirl of what this meant for her future.

It was a relief to be sure, to know that Turles was going to view their child as more then a bastard half-breed, and yet she was unsure of what Turles would expect from her now that he was planning on naming her as his mate.

Sure, she was learning to like Turles more and more, it was just that no matter how close they grew she would always remember that he was the one who had killed her family. 

A/N – Okay so we found out a lot this chapter. We found out that Turles does like Bulma a lot…in fact he seems almost obsessed with winning her love. Of course we also know that soon Turles is going to meet up with the Saiyans and that means that Bulma is going to meet up with Goku…and just what will Goku have to say when he realises that his brother had destroyed the Earth?

Please Review!


	4. Bitter Business

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – I'm very, very sorry that this chapter is so late! I was just very, very busy with school this week, and then I got sick again and then, to top off my week from hell, our modem broke and we're now using our old one.

You can all thank Bunni because thanks to her threats I decided to write faster and post sooner then I otherwise would have.

Oh yes, this chapter is the edited chapter with the lemon content edited out.

Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me! *Gives her cookies* Chapter 3: 'Bitter Business' 

~*~

**_~*~ 'Tis now the very witching time of night, ~*~_**

**_~*~ When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out  ~*~_**

**_~*~ Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, ~*~_**

**_~*~ And do so bitter business as the day ~*~_**

**_~*~ Would quake to look on. ~*~_**

- _Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**~*~**

Bulma swallowed hard as the sounds of ki blasts and hand-to-hand fighting outside the ship died away and only the sound of rain drumming on the ships outer hull remained. She glanced at her watch and grimaced as she realized it was almost midnight and that Turles and his men had been fighting for almost ten hours now without pause.

Bulma yawned and turned onto her side, one hand tracing patterns on her stomach as she wondered what sex her child would be and whether or not _it would have a child._

Through the bed Bulma felt the ship vibrate as the outer door was opened and Turles and his party of planet pirates entered the ship again. Minutes later, Bulma heard the sound of boots walking down the hallway to Turles' room, and soon enough the door whirred open and a tired and dirty looking Turles entered.

"Have fun?" Bulma asked, rolling onto her other side so it was easier to watch him.

Turles grunted and began to stiffly take off his armor, wincing as he lifted his chest armor over his head.

"Turles? Are you hurt?" Bulma gracefully slid to her feet and took a few steps across the room. She reached his side and put her hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes with concern.

Turles nodded and began to peel his suit down. "I got hit by a ki beam in the chest…I think I may have broken a rib or two." Turles winced again and miserably tried to hide it.

"Are you in any pain?" Bulma helped him peel the suit off.

"Not really." Turles gingerly stretched. "I just haven't been injured for a while…I'm not used to feeling like I have something stabbed into my chest."

"Well, why don't you go into a rejuvenation tank?"

"For a broken rib?" Turles scoffed. "It might hurt a little, but it certainly doesn't hurt enough for me to go in a tank."

"Okay…if you say so." Bulma ran her fingers down the injured side of his body, the skin was a reddish purple color at one point and was beginning to mildly swell. "It looks nasty…but probably worse then it is."

Turles nodded. "I'm gonna take a shower then lie down." He paused and glanced at Bulma. "Want to join me in the shower?"

Bulma glanced up, her blue eyes flashing. "I'd love to join you in the shower."

**~*~**

Goku and Vegeta were both covered in sweat and blood from head to toe. They both bore a look of concentration, laced with anger and hatred, and the two of them scowled at each other from across the training ground.

"Not bad, Kakarot. I must admit, you surprise me." Vegeta spat a mouthful of blood on the ground and smirked.

Goku smirked back and wiped sweat from his brow. "You surprised me too, Vegeta. Every time I think I've got you, you manage to squeeze out another attack."

The door that led into the training ground whirred open and Vegeta's smirk magically disintegrated into a ferocious scowl as Dodoria entered, a ridiculous grin on his face.

"For a moment there I thought I has walking into the monkey enclosure at the zoo." Dodoria laughed and came to a halt near the two angered Saiyans.

Goku exchanged a look with Vegeta, then looked back at Dodoria with a look of unhidden malice that rivalled the almost identical look on Vegeta's face.

"What do you want?" Vegeta snapped, his tail beginning to twitch in annoyance as the spiked, pink blob ignored him and kept looking at Goku.

"I want to know why you bother to keep this pathetic tailless Saiyan with you. He mustn't be all that useful in battle, not being able to turn into an Oozaroo." Dodoria grinned as Goku bristled and took an aggressive step forward, a low growl sounding in the back of his throat.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you," Vegeta told Dodoria, "Kakarot is stronger then he seems."

"Oh, I doubt that." Dodoria looked at Vegeta. "All you monkeys are as weak as each other…" 

Dodoria was halted mid speech as Goku lunged across the distance between them, slamming a fist into Dodoria's face, sending him flying across the training ring to crash into the wall with a ground shattering crash. Moments later, a most displeased looking Dodoria emerged from the rubble that had been the wall and began to stalk back across the ring, his power level rising in anger.

"Oooooh…You look a bit ruffled," Vegeta taunted, a sly grin working its way across his face.

Dodoria snarled at him then charged at Goku, howling in rage. Goku phased out from in front of him and reappeared behind him, kicking him in the kidneys then grabbing him by two of his spikes and slamming him face first into the ground with a very Saiyan sounding roar.

He reappeared next to a chuckling Vegeta and began to gather his ki as Dodoria clumsily stumbled to his feet.

"Why you dirty little Saiyan! I'm going to tear you into pieces for that!"

"I don't think so." Goku smirked and began his attack. "Kaaaaaah meeeee haaaaaaa meeeee haaaaaaa!"

Dodoria let out a single squeal of fear and desperately tried to scramble out of the path of the beam, but it was in vain. The attack hit Dodoria in a flash of bright white light and the fat, pink blob's squeal was abruptly cut off as his body was turned into dust from the raw power in Goku's Kamehameha attack.

As the dust died down, two sounds echoed around the ring; the cruel sound of Vegeta's laughter and the even more chilling sound of Goku's.

**~*~**

Making love with Turles was, Bulma reflected, a learning experience. Something new happened every single time, and this time had been no exception.

Turles had joined her in the shower and made love to her as never before. Despite the pain his broken ribs must have been causing him Turles had been as inventive during sex as he always was – but this time Turles had crossed a boundary Bulma hadn't known was there.

Turles had bitten her and Bulma had been taken to a new height of pleasure. 

Bulma rested her head on Turles' shoulder as she roused herself from her contemplative state and yawned - she was still feeling sleepy and sated, for now the world seemed more perfect then it ever had before. Turles licked the bite he had given her and then rested his own head on her shoulder.

They sat like that for long moments, then quietly Turles mumbled into her shoulder, "I love you Bulma."

A/N – I know this is really short, but I'm tired and sleepy and tomorrow is open day at my school and I have to take people on tours and stuff…and I still have to do my art…. please review!


	5. Understanding

DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ.

A/N – I am sorry that this chapter took me so long to get out but my computer crashed about a week ago and I lost half of this chapter and ended up having to rewrite it.             On top of that I also had a lot of exams lately at school.

A big thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me! ^_^

**~*~**

"Bulma?" Turles hesitantly placed a hand on Bulma's taut shoulder and held his breath as he waited for her to shrug it off.

Ever since he had been _stupid enough to let slip that he loved her, she hadn't said a word. She had let him hold her that night after his little confession, but hadn't spoken at all. She had been as silent as a mouse, even her breathing seemed muted and for Turles it was the worst kind of torture. _

He felt on edge as if he was waiting; and the sad part is that he _was waiting. He was waiting for Bulma to acknowledge what he said in some way. He was waiting for her to burst into tears an tell him she hated him for what he did, but, saddest of all, a part of him was still waiting for Bulma to tell him that she loved him too._

Her shoulder muscles were tense under his hand and her entire body seemed to be humming with suppressed energy.

"Bulma, you have to say something." Turles cursed himself for that mushy tone in his voice.

Bulma abruptly turned around and stared into his eyes, searching for something in them, some sign.

"I…" She lowered her eyes, sighed, and it was as if she were letting go of a great weight. She looked up at him again and the ghost of a smile seemed to haunt the corners of her mouth. "I'm confused, Turles."

"About what? I think what I said was pretty clear." Once again Turles cursed himself, this time for the tone of rejection, which to him, was obvious in his voice.

"How can you love me? I always knew you were attracted to me…but I never dreamt, even in my wildest dreams, that you loved me. I didn't even know if it was possible for someone like you to love." Bulma looked away again.

"Someone like me?" Turles gently turned her face back to his, steeling himself for the blow which Bulma was surely going to deliver.

"A monster like you."

There was no shame in Bulma's tone, and with a sinking heart, Turles realized that no matter how attracted Bulma was to him, she would always view him as the monster who had killed her family and destroyed her home. She was never going to see him as anything different because it was all Bulma had seen Turles do.

Bulma continued to speak, aware of Turles' inner turmoil, but determined to get out what she felt she had to say.

"Back on Earth we had this mental condition called the 'Stockholm Syndrome.' Now, this syndrome was something that happened quite often to kidnap victims. Occasionally they would fall in love with their captors. It's sick, it's twisted, and when you first took me with you I swore it was never going to happen to me." Bulma stared squarely into Turles' eyes. "Because, let's face it, whether or not either of us wants to admit the fact, I started my life with you as a slave and I'm probably going to die as your slave. I have feelings for you, Turles, I openly admit that to you, Turles, but I can't let myself fall in love with…I just can't."

**~*~**

"Hey, our little planet pirate brother's ship is docking." Raditz almost playfully punched Goku in the shoulder.

"What? Planet pirate?"

"That's his job, remember? Brain-dead moron." Raditz snarled at him and walked back over to Nappa and Vegeta, who were standing near the door.

In a movement of contained emotion, Goku rose to his feet and followed the others as they left the room and started down to the docking bay, talking in hushed whispers.

"Ah! My little pets!" Frieza's voice was incredibly irritating at such an early hour and all of the Saiyan's cringed, bar Vegeta, who somehow held himself in check.

"Frieza." Vegeta nodded his head at the scaly monstrosity as he entered the docking bay and moved to stand close, but not too close, to the lizard lord.

"I heard that poor Dodoria met his end at the hands of one of your soldiers?" Frieza's eyes swept over the others. "I heard it was the big tailless one who did it."

Vegeta grunted a response to the affirmative.

"How interesting," Frieza mused, as the ship containing Turles and his crew pulled into it's allotted bay. His red eyes swept back to Goku and a smirk danced on Frieza's features. "Tell me. You were on planet Earth when Vegeta picked you up, correct?"

"Yes, why?" Goku kept his distance from Frieza.

"Oh…nothing." Frieza smirked. How he would like to be a fly on the wall when he found out that his _brother had destroyed planet Earth…_

The door to the air lock opened and the Saiyans and Frieza got their first glimpse of Turles.

"My God! He looks like you…" Vegeta's jaw dropped, followed closely by the jaws of Goku, Raditz and Nappa.

Turles paused outside of the air lock and regarded them warily. He caught site of Goku and instantly tensed up, a point which none of the other Saiyans missed.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Nappa whispered to Raditz, who shrugged and replied.

"I guess you can't blame him for being a little shocked at seeing a guy who looks just like him…Say, isn't that a human being?" Raditz's voice took on a pleasant querying sound as Bulma appeared next to Turles.

"Bulma?" Goku tore his gaze from Turles and looked at Bulma, his eyes widened and he stepped forward. "Bulma, is it you?"

"G…Goku?" Bulma put a hand over her mouth and made like she was going to step forward, but Turles put a restraining hand on her shoulder and jerked her behind him, growling at Goku, who looked perplexed.

"Bulma, what are you doing here…with him?" He took a step forward, appearing to ignore Turles as his growling raised another notch and his tail began to flick back and forth in agitation.

"What do you think she's doing here with him?" Frieza moved closer to Goku. "You're brother, Turles, destroyed the planet Earth not long after you left. Bulma is the only human left…Unless there are any more hiding on the ship."

Satisfied that he would now see a fantastic fight, Frieza stepped back and waited for the fireworks.

Goku tensed up as Turles had done earlier and shook his head as if trying to shake out what Frieza had just told him.

"No…it can't be true…They can't be dead."

"Goku…it is true, everyone is dead." Bulma stepped out from behind Turles again, this time sidestepping him as he tried to grab her again.

She walked up to Goku, who looked as if he was about to either burst into tears or attack Turles, a mixture of grief and anger sweeping through his black eyes. She placed a small hand on his arm and drew his attention down to her.

"Oh, Goku…I've missed you so much." Bulma hugged Goku tightly, relaxing only minimally when Goku hugged her back, aware that he was still in shock.

"When…How?" He looked down into Bulma's face, looking for any sign that this might be nothing more then an incredibly cruel joke. Finding none, he swallowed rapidly and waited for Bulma to answer his question.

"I…I think we should talk about this later, Goku." Bulma jerked her head in Turles' direction.

Goku looked at the man who was his exact mirror image and suddenly realized that his scent was all over Bulma. On some deeper Saiyan level, Goku was dimly aware that Bulma was Turles' woman. That she was his mate and that Turles was not happy to have him hugging her right now.

Goku snarled at Turles, anger at him for destroying his home and his family building in himself already over his stressed mind. He pushed Bulma from him and took a step towards Turles…

"Kakarot!"

Goku's head jerked around to face Vegeta at his prince's sharp call. "Don't start anything here or now."

Obediently, Goku stepped back and a rather disappointed Frieza stepped forward.

"Well, Turles, I'll be debriefing you now if you don't mind. Vegeta and the others can show your men to their rooms…The woman will be staying in your room, I take it?"

Turles nodded, a tense jerk of his head as he glared at Goku. Animosity emitted from his every pore as he followed Frieza away, and he paused near Goku to hiss at him, "Stay away from _my mate."_

Frieza, his men, and Turles disappeared and the Saiyans were left with Turles' crew and a frightened looking Bulma.

Bulma's eyes swept across the Saiyans. She recognized Raditz and Goku of course, but the others were a mystery to her. The tall, bald one looked spiteful and mean and he was giving her a very disconcerting look.

The short one however, who had halted Goku in his tracks, Bulma knew must be the prince, Vegeta. He was different to the other Saiyans. While the others all had a fire burning in them, his eyes were cold and distant. He was shorter by far then any of the others and his body was less bulky.

Under other circumstances Bulma was aware that she would have been attracted to him with his flawless face, perfect features, and deep rough voice, but as it was she was finding herself attracted to a certain spiky haired space pirate…Even though she was doing her best to fight the attraction every inch of the way.

Vegeta stepped forward and Bulma swallowed hard, unsure of how he would treat her.

"You're Turles' mate?"

"Y…yes, I supposed so." Bulma fought the urge to bow her head in respect as Vegeta spoke to her, his aura of power affecting her more then even Turles'…She felt that Vegeta demanded respect.

"Then I am your prince." Vegeta smirked. "I am Prince Vegeta. This is Nappa, Raditz, and Goku whom I have been led to believe you were acquainted with on Earth."

"Yes…We were best friends." Bulma looked at Goku, who was almost drooping with depression.

Vegeta followed her gaze and looked worried. "I must have a private word with you about Goku and Turles, there are certain things about Saiyans which Turles has most likely not told you. You must know now that he and Goku have all but declared a war over you."

"A war over me?" Bulma coughed. "But, Goku's my friend…not my lover."

"True, and most likely Goku also sees it that way, but he challenged Turles by ignoring his warning not to touch you. To a Saiyan that's as good as telling a man you're out for his wife."

"Oh…" Bulma swallowed again and looked away.

Vegeta looked at Bulma through the corner of his eyes, he knew very well that he'd have to watch out for the little human or she'd get caught in the crossfire between the two Saiyans.

A/N – Okay, it's finally done! Once again sorry for the wait, please Review!


	6. An Innocent Love

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – This took ages to come out, I know and I'm sorry but what with ff.net deciding to FORCE me to take down all of my NC-17 fics and re-post them you've all had to wait a very long time for this fic and I'm sorry about that.

Thanks again to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me ^_^ you rock!

**@--8------**

Vegeta motioned for Nappa and Raditz to continue taking the others to their rooms, stopping Goku and Bulma, instead leading them into a small conference room.

"First of all, Kakarot, and this is in your best interest, stay away from Bulma if you can." Vegeta turned his attention to Bulma. "And you'd do well to avoid Kakarot as much as possible. If Turles catches you together…even if you are only innocently talking, there is no telling what he might do."

"Vegeta, what's this all about?" Bulma looked at Vegeta worriedly.

"Yeah…what's going on?" Goku had collapsed into one of the many chairs in the room and was looking at Vegeta expectantly.

Vegeta strode forward and grabbed Bulma, who gave a small sound of fright. He pulled her shirt away to reveal her shoulder with the bite mark Turles had given her on it.

"What's that?" Goku edged closer to Bulma and peered at the bite mark. Somewhere in his mind some instinct told him that the bite was important.

"This is his mark of ownership." Vegeta let Bulma go and she glared at him.

"Ownership? Turles doesn't own me!" She rubbed the bite mark worriedly. "This doesn't mean anything…"

"Of course it does!" Vegeta shook his head. "The bite mark means that you're Turles' mate, just as the bite mark you gave him means that he is yours."

"I never gave him a bite mark…and what do you mean that the bite mark means I'm his?"

"Did Turles not explain this to you?" Vegeta asked desperately, his eyes imploring her to understand.

She shook her head. "He just bit me one night…"

"So why didn't you bite him back?" Vegeta stepped forwards, staring at her intently.

"I didn't know I was supposed to bite him back," Bulma said defensively, crossing her arms across her chest.

Vegeta frowned to himself and began to pace the floor. "Bulma…has Turles told you if he loves you or not?"

Bulma was silent for several seconds, aware of the stares from Goku and Vegeta. "Yeah…he has told me he loves me."

Vegeta nodded slowly. "Do you love him?"

"I…I…" Bulma looked at Goku, his emotion-filled ebony eyes begging her to say no.

"Bulma?" Vegeta prompted.

"I don't know…I like Turles a lot…but, you see…he killed my entire planet while I watched." Bulma sadly looked at Goku. "It's not that I don't love him, it's that I _can't love him."_

"And that's your problem." Vegeta nodded. "It all makes sense now."

"What makes sense?" Goku asked, standing.

"Now I know why Turles reacted so violently to you being near Bulma." Vegeta gave Goku a friendly punch on the arm. "He's frightened you're going to steal her away from him."

"Why would he think that?" Bulma wearily sank down into a chair.

"Because you're only half bonded to him, and he's very nervous that somebody will steal you away and bond with you before he can make you a full bonded mate." Vegeta shook his head. "All you have to do, Bulma, is bite Turles back and he'll stop being so damned territorial around you."

Goku's eyes narrowed and he glanced at Bulma, then back to Vegeta. "What would happen if somebody did manage to bond with Bulma before he could?"

Vegeta's gaze slipped back to Goku. "Turles would probably snap…I don't know what would happen to him, but at a guess I'd say he'd go insane."

Vegeta looked at Goku for a second, the man was radiating hurt and anger, most of it directed at Turles.

He could only hope that Goku wasn't planning to do what he thought he was.

**@--8------**

Bulma sat on the bed in her new room and contemplated what Vegeta had told her about Turles' behavior.

_He's jealous of Goku? But Goku's my best friend…how cold he be that jealous of him?_

She glanced up through a curtain of blue hair as the door opened and Turles came in, his eyes scanning the room till they found her, a look of relief flooding his features.

"Hi." Bulma patted the bed and he crossed the room and sat down beside her. "What did that lizard king thing have to say?"

"You mean Frieza?" Turles yawned and pulled off his chest armor before settling back on the bed. "He wants me to join up with the other Saiyans and conquer planets for him."

"Are you going to?" Bulma lay down next to him and played with his spiky hair.

"I don't know yet. Frieza pays well, but I'm not sure I want to spend all my time with those guys." Turles' lip curled as though the other Saiyans disgusted him.

"Goku and Vegeta aren't so bad."

"Goku…Puh…I don't trust him." Turles sat up and pulled Bulma close him. "I saw the way he was looking at you…He was planning something, mark my words."

"Now you're being stupid. Goku and I are best friends, we have been since we were kids." Bulma lay back again. "What about Vegeta? Do you like him?"

"Yeah…I guess." Turles yawned again. "He stopped by to talk to me just after I left Frieza's office." Turles looked at Bulma again. "He said that he'd had a talk with you."

Bulma nodded. "He told me why you were so nasty to Goku. He also talked to me a little about Saiyan bonds."

"He did, did he?" Turles sighed. "Then you know what I did when I bit you?"

"I do know." Bulma pushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. "I wish you'd told me what you were really doing when you bit me in the shower."

"I was going too…but at the time it just seemed so right to me. We were connecting in a way we never had before and making you my mate seemed the perfect thing to do." Turles pulled Bulma close to him and sighed sadly. "If I'd known how you were going to react, then I might have told you before-hand…given you a little tie to get used to it."

"You should have done that anyway." Bulma wrapped her arms around Turles and rested her head on his chest. "Don't be jealous of Goku, Turles. He's my best friend and I never thought I was going to see him again…I can't bear having the two men I care about the most in my life hating each other."

"Goku hates me too, huh?" Turles growled softly. "I don't expect you to understand why I despise him so much, but I'll try to not kill him."

"Turles…"

"Bulma, I can't promise you anything more. When I saw you hugging him today I nearly tore his throat out, I was that jealous." Turles was almost shaking with rage. "I know that you thought it was an innocent embrace, but all I could see was another un-bonded male hugging you, my soon to be mate." Turles took a deep breath. "Bulma, will you bond with me? I'm living with this constant fear that I'm going to lose you. I know that every time I see you with another man I'm going to get insanely jealous until you bond with me."

"I don't know, Turles…I need time to think about it. This isn't like an Earth marriage; this is forever. Vegeta told me that once I bond with you we'd be tied together for life. That's not a decision I can make over night, I need time."

Turles nodded. "You can have time…Just know that I love you, Bulma, and every minute that we stay only half bonded I'm getting more and more desperate for you."

Bulma looked up at Turles and smirked. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, I'm not likely to run off with any of the men I'm currently surrounded with." Bulma ran her nails down the fabric of Turles' training suit and licked her lips. "Besides, loathe as I am to admit it, I kinda like you more then any other guy I've ever liked…"

**@--8------**

"I forbid you do what you're planning on doing Kakarot!" Vegeta shoved Goku into the wall and glared at him. "Don't think I didn't see that look in your eye when I said what would happen if Bulma bonded with somebody else. I know you want revenge on Turles for destroying your family and friends, but you cannot go about it this way."

Goku pushed Vegeta away from him and growled. "I'll get my revenge any way I want to."

"No you won't!" Vegeta growled. "You have no idea what will happen if you manage to seduce Bulma! The consequences would be devastating for Bulma and yourself."

"I don't see how. She can't really be happy with him, the man who cold-bloodedly murdered our entire planet." Goku smashed a fist into the wall. "It's not fair! A murderer like him doesn't deserve somebody as sweet as Bulma!"

"It doesn't matter if she deserves him or not, the fact is that he loves her and she appears to love him in return whether she realizes it or not. If you interfere in their relationship the chances are that you'll send Bulma mad, as well as Turles."

"I don't believe you." Goku pushed away from Vegeta and agitatedly paced the room.

Vegeta stared at him for a moment, realization dawning on him. "This isn't just about revenge, is it? You like Bulma too, don't you? You're jealous of Turles!"

"Aren't you?" Goku snapped.

Vegeta was silent for a minute. "I don't deny that I find Bulma very attractive, but I know that she could never and would never love me as long as Turles is around, and I respect that." Vegeta grimaced. "Besides, she's not really my type."

Goku snorted. "Well I don't care what you say, I'm going to make her mine."

Vegeta shook his head. "Well, don't expect my help, I'm on Turles' side this time, Kakarot."

Goku turned away from Vegeta. "So be it."

A/N – Ack! Goku plans on getting Bulma so he can have her and make Turles go insane! Meanwhile, Vegeta kinda likes Bulma, but Bulma likes Turles who wants to make Bulma his mate, only she's having second thoughts because deep down she hates commitment….My God! This is like something out of The Bold and the Beautiful! _(On at 5pm on channel 10 weekdays…hey don't laugh! tBatB rocks!)_

Please review! ^_^


	7. Bad Begins

DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.

A/N – Yay! I'm so glad that everybody who was reading this previous to the big 'NC-17' thing has returned to read it as well as some new people ^_^ I am happy! Thank you to everybody who reviewed, you guys all rock! 

Speaking of rockers, thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading again. You're the rockiest rock who ever rocked!

Chapter 6: 'Bad Begins'

**_~*~_**

**_~*~ So, again, good night. ~*~_**

**_~*~ I must be cruel, only to be kind: ~*~_**

**_~*~ Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. ~*~_**

- _Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"Bulma!" 

Bulma turned around at the sound of her name and smiled when she saw Goku hurrying towards her. "Hey, Goku, what's up?"

"Not much." He grinned at her. "How are you doing? Managing to survive with that space pirate?"

Bulma couldn't detect a sour note and decided that Goku must have forgiven Turles for what he'd done. "Sure, he's not all bad you know, Goku."

"Oh, I bet." That time a note of sarcasm leaked out and Goku smiled to cover it up. "I mean, I bet he is a different person with you."

Bulma giggled. "He sure is."

Goku looked away and scowled. How could she let a murderer touch her like that? It was unthinkable! He had known Bulma longer then any of these fools and yet she seemed to be getting more and more distant from him.

"Do you miss Earth?" Goku added a touch of sadness and wistfulness to his voice.

"All this time…I still have nightmares about what took place after you left sometimes." She shivered and Goku felt an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and tell her it was going to be alright.

"Hard to believe we're the only ones left." Goku grabbed Bulma's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I never forgave myself for leaving, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Bulma pulled her hand away and rubbed it absentmindedly.

"We're really the last of our kind, you know, Earthlings."

"Kinda, but at least a piece of Earth will live on after we've gone." Bulma smiled softly and touched her stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Goku stopped dead in his tracks and almost choked. "You're pregnant…to _him?"_

"What's wrong with him?" Bulma raised an eyebrow. "You know, if anybody has the right to get angry about what he did to Earth it's me, Goku! I saw the things he did! I know what it felt like to be hunted, to fear for my life every single second of the day. And let me tell you, you can't possibly imagine what it was like." Bulma took a deep breath. "And if I can manage to forgive him, then I think you should too."

"You're right, Bulma, I don't have any idea of what it's like to be hunted and threatened and to see my family die around me. But try to understand my position. Until you showed up with Turles I thought my family was alive! My wife…my son! And now I know that they're dead and it's all because of _him!"_

Goku tried to calm down. "You've had time to get over what he did, Bulma, I haven't and more than that, I'm Saiyan and we react a little differently to these situations than humans do."

"You're sounding more and more like Turles with each minute." Bulma sounded bitter for a moment. "What happened to the old Goku I knew?"

"The old Goku was forced to slaughter thousands of aliens against his will, that's what happened to the old Goku."

**~*~**

Vegeta watched Kakarot with Bulma from the shadows of the hall. His tail was lashing back and forth with agitation as again and again he watched Kakarot touch Bulma, leaving his scent on her to further enrage Turles.

Part of Vegeta wondered what they were talking so animatedly about as he watched their facial expressions flicker from sadness to happiness and then back again.

As he watched, Kakarot leant in close to Bulma as if to kiss her, but Bulma, quicker then Vegeta would have imagined her to move, twisted her head aside and hugged him.

"Kakarot!" He strode out of the shadows, slightly pleased at the way he nervously jumped away from Bulma as if he had been caught doing something bad.

Obviously, Kakarot's instincts were telling him to be wary. Bulma may not have been a fully claimed mate, but Turles' mark on her was blatantly obvious and a clear warning for any other Saiyan male who might think of touching her to keep away.

And Bulma was most likely falling for Turles too; if she didn't like him, then the mark would have faded and the bond claim would have been worthless.

But the mark hadn't faded physically or on a ki level, if anything, Turles' mark on her was stronger.

If Kakarot succeeded in breaking them apart, Vegeta knew that the little human would most likely get very, very hurt by the broken bond.

After all, Vegeta's own mother had died when another Saiyan female had managed to steal his father away. He of all people understood how powerful and dangerous a bond could be.

"What is it, Vegeta?" Kakarot stormed up, his power crackling around him.

"I wanted to have a word with Bulma." Vegeta brushed past him and took Bulma's arm, leading her away from Kakarot and his not-so-nice intentions.

"Vegeta? What's wrong?" Bulma tugged on her arm as Vegeta all but dragged her away form Goku.

"I thought I warned you two not to be alone together?"

"Vegeta, we were just talking."

"And hugging."

"It was a friendly hug!" Bulma succeeded in pulling out of his grasp and defensively crossed her arms. "What are you implying?"

"He tried to kiss you, surely you noticed that?" 

Bulma _had noticed, actually, but at the time she hadn't thought much of it…Goku wasn't trying anything. Not like Vegeta was implying._

"Well, woman?"

"Well what?"

"Did you notice his not-so-subtle attempt at kissing you?" Vegeta crossed his arms and mirrored Bulma's stance.

"Vegeta, I'm sure it was just a spur of the moment thing…a friendship thing. He didn't mean anything by it, we'd just been talking about his wife and son and he'd gotten a bit emotional. We _are the last two Earth dwellers left alive, you know."_

"I am aware of that fact." Vegeta sighed. "I'm just asking you to be careful…Kakarot is hell-bent on getting revenge on Turles for destroying Earth and its inhabitants. I'm worried that you might be hurt by his actions."

"Goku would never hurt me." Bulma shook her head at Vegeta. "We've been best friends since he was a little boy, Goku wouldn't, couldn't, do anything that would hurt me. It's not in his nature."

"_Wasn't in his nature, you mean." Vegeta put a hand on Bulma's shoulder and looked earnestly down into her eyes. "The Kakarot that you knew on Earth has changed, Bulma. He's been with us for years now and each day he is becoming more and more Saiyan-like. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge it, the fact is that Kakarot is following his Saiyan instincts and right now they're telling him to get revenge on Turles." _

"I don't believe you." Bulma strode away angrily and Vegeta stared after her.

Maybe he should have told her that Goku really did plan on hurting Turles by using her as a weapon…but it wasn't his place to tell her. Kakarot had told him in confidence, and no matter how much he wanted to protect Bulma from his little plan, he had no choice but to watch from the sidelines as this little charade was played out.

He could only hope that when all the dust died down Bulma would be left alive and intact.

**~*~**

Goku crept into Turles' room and stealthily opened up his wardrobe. Bulma, at the moment, was down in the science lab and Turles was in a meeting with Frieza.

He took out one of his brother's training suits, as well as some of his gloves, boots and armor. Then he crept back out of the room again.

He hated to deceive Bulma like this, but he had to win her to his side…She couldn't realize just how much of a monster Turles was. He'd probably brainwashed her in space into wanting to stay with him, yeah, that was it. He'd somehow made her dependent on him for survival.

Well, Goku wouldn't allow that. Bulma was _his! He had known her the longest; he knew the most about her, knew what would make her happy. She shouldn't have to stay with that freak of a brother of his and live out her life as his 'mate.'_

Goku went back to his own room and dressed in his brother's clothes…It was amazing, except for the scar missing on his face, how much he looked exactly like Turles. Even his skin was the exact same tone.

Bulma wouldn't know the difference.

**~*~**

A/N – This is a short chapter and I know but I'm not feeling very well at the moment, I have a headache. But don't worry I'll update with a longer chapter as soon as I'm feeling better


	8. Repent

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Well I told you all that I'd get this chapter out as soon as possible and if I don't say so myself I think this is pretty good time, don't you? For all those people who voiced their concerns over Goku being a little too mean, don't worry about it. He turns nicer again soon so just stick with the story.**

Chapter 7: 'Repent'

**_~*~_**

****

**_~*~ Confess yourself to heaven: ~*~_**

**_~*~ Repent what's past; avoid what is to come; ~*~_**

- _Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

Bulma let out a tired sigh as she opened the door to her quarters and wearily walked in, dropping her coat on the floor and collapsing tiredly on the bed, then sat up with a scream as a hand grabbed her shoulder…

"Jesus, Turles!" Bulma put a hand to her chest to still her fast-beating heart. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry, didn't mean to." Turles raised an eyebrow and gave her a charming smile, which froze around the edges as he leant close and sniffed at her clothing. With a growl he pulled Bulma up close to him and stared into her eyes. "You were with him again, weren't you? After I warned you to keep away you still went near him!"

"What…?" Bulma tried to pull away from Turles.

"Don't 'what' me! I can smell him on your clothes!"

"Smell who?" Bulma tried again to pull away. "Turles, you're scaring me!"

"Shut up!" he howled. "You went near Kakarot again!"

"We met in the hall…that's all! We just talked for a few minutes, then Vegeta came and got me…Honestly, Turles!" Bulma stopped struggling and prayed that Turles would calm down enough for reason to return.

Turles breathed heavily for a few more minutes, but gradually his eyes cleared again. "You're telling the truth?"

"Yes." Bulma relaxed against him and put her head on his shoulder. "For a second there, Turles, I thought you were going to snap."

"I almost did," Turles admitted. "I just can't stand the thought of you being near _him!"_

"It's okay, you're the only man who I want to be with, you know that." Bulma smoothed some of his unruly hair back from his face. "You don't need to get so jealous."

Turles ran his hands down Bulma's sides until he clasped her waist. "I can't help it."

**~*~**

"Have you seen Goku?" Vegeta asked Nappa as he paused in the doorway of the rec room, in which Nappa and Raditz were sprawled.

"Not for a while," Nappa answered absentmindedly, chowing down on a chocolate bar.

"What about you?" Vegeta asked Raditz.

Raditz avoided his eyes and shrugged. "Last time I saw him he was looking for Turles."

"But Turles isn't here; he went with Frieza down to the planet Golan so that Frieza could test his strength. He isn't going to be back until later tonight." Vegeta took a few steps into the room. "Raditz, if you know something…"

"All I know is that Goku wanted to know where Turles was, and then he disappeared." Raditz stood up. "Don't worry, he won't be far away."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Vegeta whirled and left the room.

**~*~**

"Turles, what's gotten into you?" Bulma laughed as he pushed her down onto the bed and crawled over her, purring as he pulled off his armor and kissed her again.

"Nothing, I'm just not feeling _myself today." Turles smirked as if he had said something funny._

He began to unbuttoned Bulma's shirt and kissed her again as he ran his eyes down her body and started removing her shirt. His eyes fell on the bite mark on her shoulder and, for a brief second, Bulma saw his eyes flash with something other than passion…Hatred.

"Turles? What's wrong?" She tried to push him away and stand up, but he pushed her back down on the bed again and smiled.

"Oh, it's nothing…it just looks like your bite is…fading. I should probably bite you again." He lent his head down and ran his tongue along the bite mark.  
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Turles…I mean, I'm not sure if I want to bind with you yet."

"Who would you rather bond with? That Goku…I mean, Kakarot?" Turles pulled back again and Bulma froze as she looked into his eyes.

"You never call Goku Kakarot…you've always called him Goku before, like me. What's changed?"

"Oh, nothing…been spending too much time with Vegeta, I guess." Turles tried to brush it aside, but Bulma felt deep in her bones that something was wrong.

"I didn't know you'd been spending any time with Vegeta. I thought you'd been with Frieza most of the time. I'm the one who Vegeta always seems to be hanging around."

"Sniffing around, you mean." Turles eyed the bite mark on her neck and Bulma tried to worm away.

"I don't want to do this again, Turles, the half-bond is there, you don't have to bite me again." 

"Oh, but I do, you see." In a movement much like a striking snake, Turles fastened his teeth on the bite mark and bit down.

Bulma's back arched and she screamed in pain.

During the throws of passion, being bitten hadn't hurt, but having Turles sink his teeth in without any warning was painful. So painful that Bulma knew if he didn't stop soon she would pass out.

"Stop! Please….Turles, it hurts, stop!" She felt his teeth pierce her skin and instantly the pain intensified, causing her to scream even louder than before.

Turles pulled back, blood dripping down his chin. "I didn't mean for it to hurt you so badly."

Turles' voice had changed and Bulma instantly felt so forgiving. He sounded so sincere, so regretful…so un-Turles like.

In that instant it all became clear. As 'Turles' was hugging her, she let her hands drop down to where his tail should have been…but there was no tail and that meant that the person hugging her could only be…

"Goku!" Bulma pushed him away and jumped from the bed, pulling her shirt closed and shakily buttoning up the buttons.

"I am sorry, you know, but I couldn't let you become fully bonded to him. All you have to do now is bite me and you can be my mate instead." Goku leapt up from the bed and slowly walked towards Bulma. "You can't want to be with him, Bulma, you can't."

"Goku…How could you do this? What's wrong with you?" She bumped into the wall and Goku came to a stop in front of her.

"What's wrong with me? I'm trying to protect you, Bulma!"

"From who?"

"From him! Turles! He's only going to hurt you, Bulma, and I can't let that happen. Not when I love you so much." Goku stepped up and kissed Bulma, who was too stunned to do anything but stand there.

"Just mark me back and we'll be bonded and he'll never hurt you again. We don't even have to tell the child you're carrying that I'm not its real father." Goku gently stroked her hair.

"You're…you're mad, Goku!" Bulma slipped from under his arm and walked quickly towards the door. "I don't know what Vegeta and his groupies did to you, but…"

"They didn't do anything!" Goku leapt in front of Bulma again and barred the door. "It was all HIM! He killed my family! He destroyed my planet! He's taken away everything that I loved and now he's even trying to take you away! I'm not going to let that happen. I have to protect you."

Goku stood there breathing heavily and, for the first time since being back with him, she realized how badly hurt he really was over the loss of his family, friends and planet. All this time in space he'd been clinging to the fact that they were still alive, loving them from a distance, and then he'd suddenly found out that, despite his best efforts, they were all dead. Even she, Bulma, the person who Goku had grown up protecting, had injured him by all but telling him to get lost because she had found another male instead of him.

He was mad with grief and Bulma hadn't even seen it.

"Oh, Goku…I'm so sorry." She walked forward and gently hugged him. "I love you too, but only as a friend. I know this has been hard for you…but you're only hurting me by doing this. I…I love Turles and I'm going to bond with him."

"Bulma, no…" Goku held out a hand to her as Bulma pulled back and opened the door to the hallway. 

"What you did just now was wrong. I'm not going to tell Turles because he'd flip out and probably try to kill you…but I am going to ask you to leave and not to come near us again until we're fully bonded. This is hard for me too, Goku, because I do love you…but not in the same way I love Turles. Maybe you're right when you say he's only going to hurt me, but I have to give it a chance." Bulma stood by the open door. "Please, leave."

Goku gave Bulma a long look and then slowly he nodded. "I'm leaving, but this isn't going to go away, Bulma. I do love you and one day you're going to be mine instead of his. Somebody like him doesn't deserve somebody like you."

**~*~**

**A/N – Yeek! What is going to happen in the next chapter? Will Turles and Bulma finally bond? Will Goku try to get Bulma away from Turles again? And what will Vegeta do when he hears what has happened? Please review and I'll get working on the next chapter as soon as I can!**


	9. My Jealousy

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Thanks to everybody who has been reviewing! You guys rock!**

**Once again a huge thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me.**

Chapter 8: 'My Jealousy'

**_~*~_**

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**_~*~ I am sorry that with better heed and judgment ~*~_**

**_~*~ I had not quoted him: I feared he did but trifle, ~*~_**

**_~*~ And meant to wreck thee; but beshrew my jealousy!  ~*~_**

****

- _Polonius from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"Oh, God!" Bulma sagged against the wall and sobbed as Goku slammed the door shut behind him.

What would Turles say when he found out?! He'd go mad! He'd kill Goku for sure and maybe even hurt her! There was no way that she could hide Goku's scent, or the scent of her blood…Turles would know what had happened the instant he walked in.

And Bulma couldn't bear the thought of him leaving her all alone.

So caught up was Bulma in her grief that she didn't hear the door open again, or the sharp intake of breath as somebody surveyed what had happened.

"Woman, what happened?"

Bulma shrieked as Vegeta tapped her on the shoulder and then let out a sigh as she saw it was only him.

"Goku, he…he bit me!" Bulma clambered unsteadily to her feet and bit her lip. "He was dressed up like Turles…I almost slept with him! But I didn't know! I swear I didn't know it was Goku."

Vegeta closed his eyes for a second. "This isn't good. Turles is due back for a while, but if he even suspects what Goku has done…" Vegeta trailed off and he stared at Bulma again. "You didn't bite him in return, did you?"

"No, no I didn't."

"Well thank God for that." Vegeta gazed around the room and shook his head. "Okay, I'll take care of all this. I want you to have a shower and get cleaned up, wear something that will cover the bite on your neck. While you're showering, I'll take care of the mess out here and I'll move all of your and Turles' belongs to my room and move mine over here. We'll switch rooms."

"Will Turles buy that?" Bulma looked warily at Vegeta. "He's not stupid, he'll know something's up."

"No doubt, but if we give him no reason to suspect anything, then he'll let it go. Now go and shower and by the time you're out everything will be taken care of."

Bulma nodded and scampered to the shower, grabbing some clothing from the closet on the way over.

"Oh, and, Bulma, when your out of the shower, I'm going to take you to a healing tank so we can heal that bite on your neck. Turles will know something's up if he catches site of it."

Bulma nodded and Vegeta sighed again and looked unhappily around the room. If only he'd gotten here sooner he could have prevented all of this. Goku had no idea what a dangerous game he was playing by fooling around with Bulma like this.

**~*~**

Turles yawned as he walked down the corridor to his room. It'd been a long day; Frieza had had him destroying city after city down on that planet. All in all it had been an extraordinarily boring day. If Frieza had wanted to test his abilities then he should have at least had him destroy a planet that would prove to be a challenge to him.

He halted outside of his room and growled softly in his throat. Something was wrong…he could tell. The woman's ki was inside…but so was Vegeta's.

Turles flung open the door and stalked in, his tail lashing about as he caught sight of Bulma and Vegeta sitting together at the small table in the middle of the room. 

"What's going on?" he demanded angrily, glaring at Vegeta.

"We…were switching rooms with Vegeta." Bulma stuttered, her eyes darkening with fear as Turles turned his angry gaze on her.

"Why?" He scented the air and growled again as he smelled Goku…and the unmistakable smell of Bulma's blood.

"I had an accident." Bulma looked at Vegeta quickly and he nodded. "I slipped and cut my neck open…Luckily, Goku was nearby and he managed to save me." Bulma lifted a small hand to her neck and shakily smiled at Turles. "If he and Vegeta hadn't gotten me to the healing tank on time, I could have died."

"Died?" Turles took a tentative step forward and swallowed. "You almost died?"

"It was a close call." Vegeta stood up. "If you don't mind, I'll show you to my old room and you can get some sleep."

**~*~**

Goku stared out at the stars, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he tried to gather his thoughts enough to think straight.

Had he done the right thing with Bulma? He didn't think so…but he'd been following his instincts.

She would never believe him, Goku knew, but he did love her. He'd always loved her, although admittedly not always the way he did now.

Bulma was so beautiful; it was no wonder Turles had fallen for her. She had hair as blue as the summer sky and as soft as spun silk, eyes that were so deep a man could drown in them forever, lips so red and lush they begged to be kissed…and her body…She had the body of a goddess.

Bulma was perfection personified…He'd always seen it, but it was before he'd been married to Chichi so he hadn't given his attraction to Bulma much thought.

But now Chichi was gone.

Now he wasn't bound to his old life anymore. He was free to create a new life for himself and he desperately wanted and needed Bulma to be a part of it.

Goku sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't want to cause Bulma any pain by harming Turles, but if in the end he had to get rid of him, he would. Bulma would eventually forgive him and would learn to love him…then they'd be together forever.

**~*~**

Turles held Bulma tightly against his chest and purred reassuringly as his tail swept up and down her body in an effort to comfort her.

As soon as Vegeta had left, Bulma dissolved into tears and had sobbed helplessly, murmuring that she was sorry to Turles.

Turles didn't know why the woman felt she had to be sorry, it wasn't like she'd done anything wrong, she'd hurt herself…She hadn't doe anything to hurt him.

"What's wrong?" he asked her gently.

Bulma shook her had and buried her face into his neck.

"You can tell me, Bulma, I won't hurt you. I love you." Turles pulled her back until he could stare into her teary eyes.

"I'm scared, Turles." Bulma's voice shook. 

"What of?"

"Of what I'm feeling inside of me." Bulma wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a few deep, hiccuping breaths. 

"Our baby…?" Turles felt his own heart stop in his chest. He hadn't given a thought to their child…had it been hurt when Bulma was hurt? 

"Our baby is fine." Bulma gently stroked her stomach. "Our baby."

She closed her eyes and seemed to come to some sort of a decision. "Turles, I want to know what will happen once we've bonded. How deep will our connection be?"

"Soul deep." Turles felt the spark of hope that Bulma would bond with him flare to life again. "We'd be able to communicate telepathically and share images in our minds…"

"Would you be able to see my memories?"

"No." _And thank god for that! Turles added silently. If there was one thing he didn't want, it was for Bulma to end up getting scared away from him by his memories of destroying civilization after civilization._

Bulma nodded slowly. "I've been thinking, Turles, about us, about the other Saiyans and about our child." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to bond with you…It's the right thing to do and, although I don't want to admit it because it scares me, I do love you. I love you despite the fact that you're a murderer, despite the fact that you've committed crimes far more horrible then I could ever imagine. And despite the fact you killed my family."

Turles knew this was supposed to be a solemn moment, but he couldn't help but grin. 

The woman was going to be _his!_

**~*~**

Vegeta glared at Goku. "That was a very stupid thing you did back there with Bulma."

"I know." Goku rested his head in his hands. "She's never going to trust me again."

"Oh, it's not only that. If I hadn't come along to help Bulma out, Turles would have known what you'd done and he would have come looking for you. Luckily, Bulma and I managed to hide all the evidence of you ever having bitten her."

Goku didn't respond.

"She's going to bond with Turles tonight." Vegeta watched as Goku leapt up.  
"She wouldn't!"

"She is. We discussed it and I convinced her that it was the best thing for her to do." Vegeta calmly stood up ad walked out the door past Goku. "If you're smart, Goku, you'll let it go."

"You don't understand, Vegeta, I can't let it go." Goku sat back down and stared at the stars. "It's not over yet."

**~*~**

**A/N – We-ell! Turles and Bulma are going to bond…unless Goku can stop them! Please review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can!**


	10. Never Doubt

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – I went to Livid yesterday and it rocked! I fought tooth and claw to be down the front of the Machine Gun Fellatio concert in the very front of the mosh pit and every single bruise I ended up with was worth it to see them! Anybody who doesn't know who Machine Gun Fellatio is, well you should find out because they're the best band!**

**Oh and this chapter is dedicated to Ane S. Thesia for being the best beta reader I could have! ****(She hasn't seen this chapter so you'll have to put up with my bad spelling and grammar mistakes!)**

Chapter 9: 'Never Doubt'

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**_~*~ Doubt thou the stars are fire; ~*~_**

**_~*~ Doubt that the sun doth move; ~*~_**

**_~*~ Doubt the truth to be a liar; ~*~_**

**_~*~ But never doubt I love. ~*~_**

****

****

- _Hamlet's letter to Ophelia 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

Turles looked at Bulma with pure adoration in his eyes as he kissed her. His hands roamed down her back and pulled her closer to him. 

Bulma groaned in the back of her throat and wrapped her legs tighter around Turles waist, her own hands sensually moving over Turles back, feeling the muscles bunch and coil beneath his skin. 

Their love making was as fevered as it usually was, but in the back of both of their minds was the knowledge that this was '_it'. This was the night that Bulma was going to bond with him._

Running through Turles mind was the knowledge that after this Bulma would be his forever.

Running through Bulma's mind was the knowledge that by doing this she was hurting Goku.

And truthfully she didn't want to do that.

How many times had Goku protected her? Stood up for her? Saved her life? Hundreds of times. He'd spent almost his entire life adventuring with her and looking after her. True once he had married they hadn't spent as much time together but they'd still seen each other.

But she had to do this. She loved Turles and everything about this felt right…except for Goku and her feelings for him.

"Oh Turles…." Bulma felt her body tightening and the climax hit her with an explosion of emotions.

When she sank her teeth into Turles neck it felt like pure heaven.

**~*~**

Goku screamed in agony as he felt his bond with Bulma pull tight as if something wanted to break it.

But he wouldn't give in.

He fell to his knee's and gritted his teeth; he was going to hold onto this bond if it killed him.

"Kakarot! Let it go! Don't fight it!" Vegeta appeared over him, his face bearing what appeared to be a genuinely concerned look.

Goku scowled and ignored him. "I won't give in!"

The pain crawled under his skin and burnt like some sort of exotic virus…it would be so easy to give in and let go of his bond which he was clinging too. All he had to do was let go and all the pain would stop…

Goku's eyes rolled up into his head and he slumped to the floor, all the fight stripped from his body as unconsciousness claimed him.

**~*~**

Bulma panted into Turles neck, she could feel him in her…not in a physical way but in her mind. She was filled with an overwhelming sense of Turles. It was as if once she had bitten him someone had flipped a switch and Bulma had been exposed to a world of pure Turles.

It was wonderful.

It was like nothing she'd ever felt before…it was something precious and meaningful and suddenly Bulma could feel how much Turles cared for her. She could feel all of his insecurities about her and their bonding, she could feel his love in her mind and yet at the same time she could feel the beast in him that was his rage and anger – and yet it didn't scare her as it should have because it was part of who Turles was, and now it was part of who she was.

_[This is…amazing!]_

_[Turles? I can hear you…in my mind…is this normal?]_

_[Of course!]_

Bulma opened her eyes and looked into Turles ebony eyes, in his mind she could feel how hard it had been for him growing up. He'd grown up on planet Vegeta with Raditz but unlike his brother who had been content how he was Turles had thirsted for power and had taken suicidal missions like his father Bardock was.

The memory abruptly cut off and Bulma knew that that was all that Turles wanted her to see.

_[I have a lot of bad stuff in my head Bulma…I'm bound to memories that even I don't like remembering. I want to spare you the horror of my life before you…you may thinks it's unfair but before you Bulma I had no soul…and I'm not proud of that.]_

_[That's okay…there are things in my mind that I don't want you to see either. Stupid things that you'd probably think were trivial but which are kind of embarrassing to me.]_

Turles kissed her neck and trailed his hand through her hair. "That's okay, love."

"I like being called that, it makes me feel safe." Bulma snuggled down onto his chest and let out a contented sigh.

"What, being called love?" Turles snorted softly. "I don't see why. I could call you 'woman' like Vegeta does and I'd still love you as much. It's just a stupid nickname."

"Yeah, but I like it." Bulma kissed her bond mate and yawned. "I'm feeling kind of sleepy."

"Then sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

"Turles?" Bulma asked sleepily. "What happens if one of dies?"

"I don't know. Some bond mates die when their mates die, others continue living but they become different people. You'd have to ask Vegeta for more details, he knows more about this stuff then I do."

Turles yawned again and snuggled down next to Bulma and within moments they were both sound asleep.

**~*~**

"Kakarot? Can you hear me?"

Goku opened his eyes and sluggishly sat up. His body hurt, but no where near as much as it had before. 

"Yeah…I can her you." Goku angrily shrugged off Vegeta hand and stood on his own. Slowly his expression of anger faded away and a tiny smile appeared on Goku's face. "I did it!"

"Did what?" Vegeta looked suspicious and took a step away. "I asked a question! What did you do?"

"I kept my bond on her!"

"Impossible!" Vegeta exploded. "It's impossible for her to be bonded to Turles and for your mark to still be on her!"

"Well it is." Goku smiled smugly. 

"Kakarot…you have no idea what you've done! The implications of this are…are…"

"Are what?" Goku appeared bored by Vegeta and turned away.

The prince leapt back in front of Goku and dealt him a stinging backhanded slap to the face. "Never turn your back on me! The implications of this happening are bad! Not just a little bad, but a lot bad! The woman cannot be bonded to the two of you! Do you understand that? It's impossible, so if you're thinking of somehow tricking her into biting you then forget it, you'd kill Turles, her and yourself all at once."

"What if I kill him?" 

"If you killed him you'd either kill her or drive her mad. Bonded mates can't survive long without their mates." Vegeta continued to bar Goku's way. "Promise me Kakarot that you won't harm the woman or her mate!"

"I can't do that!" Goku growled.

"If you won't promise me for their sakes then promise to leave them along for the sake of the baby Bulma has in her. Killing Turles would undoubtably cause Bulma so much trauma that she'd miscarriage."

Goku sighed. "Okay I promise, I won't do anything to jeopardize Bulma's safety or the safety of the child in her…but…"

"But what?"

"But…nothing." Goku walked slowly away. "I won't hurt them, of that you can be certain."

Vegeta watched Goku with a mixture of feelings. He felt sad for him because he knew in part what it felt like to lose the woman you were bonded too. And yet he had brought this upon himself by making the woman who was already claimed.

Vegeta couldn't help but feel that Kakarot was the bad guy this time.

**~*~**

**A/N – Well…Turles and Bulma are bonded and seem set to live happily ever after and Goku has promised to leave them alone. The question is…will he? Please Review! ^_^**


	11. Rebellious Hell

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Sorry this chapter took so long to get out but I've been busy with school and my formal and all the after parties…oh and that big bushfire which is threatening to engulf my house. **

**Anyhow this chapter takes place a year after the last chapter ended.**

Chapter 10: 'Rebellious Hell'

**_~*~_**

****

**_~*~ Oh shame! Where is thy blush? Rebellious Hell, ~*~_**

**_~*~ If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones, ~*~_**

**_~*~ To flaming youth let virtue be as wax, ~*~_**

**_~*~ And melt in her own fire: ~*~_**

****

****

- _Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"How's my girl?" 

Raven cooed happily as Bulma lifted her from the cot and held her to her chest. "Did my little girl sleep all night? Yes you did!"

Raven opened her incredibly bright-blue eyes and stared meaningfully at her mother, her tiny tail lashing behind her as she let out a wail, indicating her hunger.

Bulma hummed happily, used to her daughter's moody behavior by now. 

As she sat Raven down in her high chair and began preparing her meal, Bulma let her mind wander.

She could hardly believe that it had been a year to the date since she'd bonded with Turles. It seemed as if it had happened a hundred years ago…so much had changed since then.

Bulma had given birth to Turles' daughter six months after they bonded. It hadn't been a terribly hard birth, but it hadn't been easy and Bulma had felt Turles' fear for her safety the entire time she had been in labor. She had even detected his animosity towards the baby at one point, for putting Bulma in danger.

It was absurd now, looking back. Turles adored his daughter and loved her with all of his being. Whenever Turles was in the room with Raven, Bulma could feel how happy and proud he was of his daughter through the bond.

It wasn't just Turles who indulged on the tiny Saiyan girl; all of the Saiyans seemed to be overly protective of her. Vegeta had explained to Bulma early on that, since Raven was the only female Saiyan in existence, the male Saiyans were naturally over protective of her. 

And Raven was very Saiyan looking, indeed. Not only did she have a beautiful Saiyan tail, but she also had her father's unruly, black hair and his huge appetite. From Bulma, Raven appeared to have inherited only her blue eyes and an X chromosome.

It was hard to imagine, but Bulma knew that her beautiful and exotic-looking daughter would one day be expected to become a Saiyan warrior and fight alongside her father in battle.

Raven let out a sudden, happy squeal and Bulma put down the spoonful of baby food and turned to face whoever it was behind her.

"Hi." Vegeta nodded at Bulma and sat down beside her. "Word has come from the battle front. I thought you should hear from me that the battle is over and Turles has succeeded in conquering the Meridians."

"You doubted he would?" Bulma added a mocking tone to her voice and Vegeta grinned briefly.

"Not for a second, but I knew you had your fears about him." He watched Raven as she reached out a hand towards him, but kept out of her reach. "Not that I could blame you for fearing for your mate."

Bulma snorted and continued feeding her daughter, she could feel Vegeta's eyes on her and she glanced at him, waiting for him to continue speaking.

"I had another reason for coming to speak to you." Vegeta looked slightly nervous now and Bulma eyed him carefully. 

It took a lot to make Vegeta nervous.

"Yes?"

"It's about Raven." Vegeta flicked his eyes from her, to her daughter, and then back again. "This is a hard question for me to ask and no doubt a difficult one for you to answer, but…"

"Yes," Bulma interrupted. "If you're going to ask what I think you're going to ask, then the answer is yes."

Vegeta swallowed hard. "You knew I would ask?"

"Turles has attempted to breach the subject with me, but kept chickening out each time he did. His emotions betrayed him, though." Bulma glanced at her friend. "You should have asked me a long time ago."

"I wanted to, but…well, she is your daughter and just a child…Most parents would be upset when discussing the future bonding of their child."

"Vegeta, I knew Raven would be expected to bond with one of the other Saiyans, I'm just glad that it will be you who takes her as a mate." Bulma watched as Vegeta flushed. "I'm also very, very honored. You are, after all, a prince."

"Of a dead race," Vegeta quietly reminded her.

"Not quite." Bulma smiled again, then quickly frowned. "How old do you plan on her being when you bond with her?"

Vegeta shrugged. "In her late teens. The earlier I can forge a bond with her, the better it will be for our relationship." Vegeta noticed Bulma looking him over critically and hastily added, "I won't have aged much in the time it will take for her to grow, Saiyans age at a much slower rate then Humans."

Bulma rolled her eyes. "I know that, I was just thinking how odd it is sitting here with my daughter, who is less then a year old, discussing her future bonding. You don't think Turles will be upset that we decided this without him, do you?"

This time Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Who do you think asked me to come and talk to you because he was too chicken to do it himself?"

**_~*~_**

**A/N – I know this is really, really short but we have a bush-fire burning near our house and we might have to be evacuated tonight. Bear with me guys, I'll try to have the next chapter up by tomorrow, and as always please review.**


	12. Brothers Blood

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Okay, I've finally managed to write this chapter. Sorry it was later then I said and I'm sorry if it's a little short but I'm still very busy with school.**

**Thanks as usual must go to Ane S. Thesia for being the best beta reader in the world ^_^**

Chapter 11: 'Brothers Blood'

**_~*~_**

****

**_~*~ What if this cursed hand ~*~_**

**_~*~ Were thicker then itself with brothers blood, ~*~_**

**_~*~ Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens ~*~_**

**_~*~ To wash it white as snow? ~*~_**

****

****

- _Claudius from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"I can't wait to get back and see my girls." Turles sat down in the captain's seat and began a systems check.

"You think Vegeta asked Bulma about your daughter yet? The poor guy has been putting it off for long enough." Nappa chuckled. 

Turles and Raditz chuckled along with Nappa. The only silent person in the cabin was Goku, who was leaning moodily against the back wall, scowling at the back of Turles' head.

As they continued to laugh and joke, Goku slipped silently out the door and made his way back to his room.

It was getting too hard for him to be in the same room as Turles for long periods of time. Every time he caught sight of his twin, Goku had the overwhelming urge to throw himself at him and tear his throat out.

Goku closed his eyes and moaned in the back of his throat. All he wanted was Bulma! She was all he thought about, all he dreamt about…It was killing him!

It didn't help that right next door was the man who she shared her bed with, the man who she had a daughter with…

Goku slumped against the wall. He couldn't take it anymore; he had to have Bulma as his mate.

He needed her.

**~*~**

Vegeta watched as his men disembarked the ship. Turles strode out first, supremely confident as always. Raditz and Nappa followed after, apparently arguing amongst themselves again. Finally, Kakarot slunk out and trailed after the others.

Vegeta noted the shadows under his eyes, his pale skin, and the way he avoided the others like the plague.

Bulma appeared in the docking bay and threw herself into Turles' arms, not noticing Kakarot staring at her with a desperate hunger in his eyes.

Vegeta sighed and turned away from the window. It was obvious that Kakarot wouldn't be able to hold out on his Saiyan instincts for much longer. Sooner or later he'd initiate a battle between himself and Turles, and Vegeta dreaded what the outcome might be.

He hurried down to the docking bay and caught up with Kakarot, who was still staring at Bulma and Turles as they headed back to their room.

"Kakarot."

Kakarot turned around sharply and looked at Vegeta with fevered eyes. "It hurts."

Vegeta nodded; they both knew what Goku was talking about.

"Every time I see her with him it hurts…I can't take it! I know I promised, but…but I have to have her!" Kakarot came closer to Vegeta. "I need her so much!"

"Just relax, Kakarot." Vegeta tried to calm the larger Saiyan down. "You have to let her go…"

"No!" Kakarot growled, his eyes flashing with anger. "I won't let him near her anymore…I'm the one whose supposed to be with her! Me! Not him!"

"Kakarot!" Vegeta silenced Kakarot with a deadly look. "You have to let go of this bond or it'll kill you! I can't understand why you won't let it go when it does this to you!"

"Why? You want to know why I won't let her go?" Kakarot strode closer to Vegeta. "Because I love her! That's why! I love her!"

Vegeta was silent for a moment. "If you mean that, then there's nothing I can do or say that'll change your mind about this."

"That's what I've been telling you all along." Kakarot slumped against a wall for support. "I know you think I've been doing this out of a need for revenge…and I'll admit that originally that was my plan, but I…I do love her! I've always loved her, Vegeta, just never this much."

"You know…if you kill Turles, you'll kill Bulma."

Kakarot looked up at Vegeta with grim determination on his face. "You're forgetting that I also have my mark on Bulma, and I'm not going to let Turles drag her to her grave without a fight."

**~*~**

"I missed you so much!" Bulma kissed Turles as he put his grinning daughter back down in the playpen.

"I missed you, too." Turles caught Bulma in his arms and pulled her close against his body. "But now that I'm back…"

As Turles leant down to kiss Bulma, the door chime sounded and with a reluctant sigh he pulled away again. 

"There's always something to interrupt us, isn't their?" Turles grinned at Bulma as he walked over and opened the door.

Bulma turned back to tend to their daughter when the sound of Goku's voice reached her ears. Warily, Bulma put her daughter back down and slowly made her way to Turles, who was still standing in the doorway, staring stonily into Goku's face.

"Goku? What are you…?"

"You never told him, did you?" Goku cut Bulma off, his eyes never leaving Turles' face. "You never told him about us, did you?" He tore his gaze from Turles and turned it on Bulma. "Why didn't you tell him?" His stare became almost accusatory and Bulma shivered as she felt Goku's power level begin to rise.

This wasn't good.

"Goku, what are you talking about?" Bulma took a step closer to Turles and swallowed.

"Yeah…what are you talking about?" Turles' power lever began to rise as well when he registered the depth of Goku's anger.

"What am I talking about?" Goku threw back his head and laughed, then, in a blur of movement, he stepped forward and jerked the neckline of Bulma's shirt down to expose the bite mark. "I'm talking about this!"

"What about it? That's my bite mark…"

"Is it?" Goku sneered. "Maybe if you looked a little closer you'd see that there are two bite marks their, not just one."

"What?" Turles turned and looked at Bulma. Through their link he could detect her unease and fear. With hands that showed none of his inner turmoil, he pulled her shirt away from the bite mark and looked closely at it.

Turles felt his breath catch as very, very faintly he saw the outline of a faint bite mark which was overlaid on top of his.

"What's wrong? You don't look too happy." Goku's eyes were wide with anticipation of a fight.

"Bulma?" Turles was aware that his hurt was showing in his eyes, but it was impossible to mask his emotion. "How did this happen?"

"I thought he was you…It happened not long after we'd arrived here. Nothing happened, I swear, he just bit me and when I realized that it was Goku and not you I…"

"I can guess what you did." Turles looked down into Bulma's swirling blue eyes and felt his momentary anger at her fade. He could feel through the bond that she loved him; that she wouldn't cheat on him with any other man. Turles turned his attention to Goku, who was watching them both with a look of anticipation on his face.

"If you were expecting me to hurt Bulma, then you're going to be let down," Turles snarled at his brother, who merely smirked at him. "All I want to do right now is take you down!"

"Bring it on." Goku smirked.

"Please, don't do this!" Bulma put a hand up to Turles' chest as he went to move forward. "This is what he wants you to do!"

"Well, this is what I want to do, too! He tried to steal you! Tried to steal my mate!" Turles pulled Bulma close and kissed her, breathing in her scent as he did so.

Finally, Turles pulled away and Bulma gasped for breath, fear causing her wide blue eyes to darken. 

Turles had only kissed her so possessively once before…

**~*~FLASHBACK~*~**

  
_Bulma was thrown to the ground with the force of the explosion, the air was knocked out of her chest and bright spots danced in front of her eyes. Her chest felt as though bands of steel were wrapped around it and for several minutes she couldn't seem to breathe. She dug her fingernails into the ground in panic and desperately tries to suck in air, managing only to draw a tiny gasp into her lungs as her heart beat thudded loudly in her ears._

_Bulma lay still on the ground until the panic and fear faded and she could breath more easily again. Then she cautiously dragged herself into a crouch and looked about her._

_The ki blast from the Saiyan had knocked her several meters from where she had been standing when he had attacked. The only question was…where was the Saiyan now?_

_Bulma glanced around her, but the air was still swirling with dust and it was hard to see even a foot in front of her. Carefully, she crept forward a few meters, wincing at how loud each movement she made seemed to be._

_A sound to the left caught Bulma's attention and she saw a shape lumbering towards her from out of the mist. Bulma knew it wasn't the Saiyan himself; it was one of his lower men…no doubt sent in to finish her off._

_Bulma took a deep, calming breath and backed away from the shape. If he saw her, it would be all over, the only hope she had was that he wouldn't notice her as she sneaked off._

_Bulma continued to back away until, with a thud, she backed right into another person. With a small gasp she spun around and almost choked with relief when she was who it was._

_"Goku? It's really you! You came to help us!" She threw herself into his arms, unaware of the surprised look that briefly flashed across the handsome Saiyan's face._

_"Goku?" The Saiyan's voice was a deep, amused rumble. "I can assure you, little one, that I am not Goku."_

_Bulma pulled back and stared in shock at the man who stood before her. Even with the dust still swirling around them she knew it had to be Goku! He looked just like Goku, he even had the hair! Then Bulma caught sight of the tail, which was wrapped tight around his waist, and the world seemed to rock around her._

_"Oh, no…" She took a staggering step away from the strange Saiyan male, who was watching her with amusement._

_"And where do you think you're going?" He caught up to her in a few steps and, easily overcoming her struggle, pulled her close to him again. Plastering her body against his. "You don't think I'm going to let a delectable little piece of meat like you get away with bumping into me without even an apology, do you?"_

_Bulma couldn't force a single word out of her throat as he looked down into her face and slowly lowered his head to hers, claiming her lips in a fiery kiss, breathing in her scent as he plundered her mouth…_

**~*~END FLASHBACK~*~**

"Turles…?" Bulma looked uncertainly up in his face. "Please, tell me you're not going to do this!"

"I have to fight for what's mine, Bulma." Turles gently traced a hand down her cheek, aware of Goku's unhappy presence behind him. "No matter what happens, you know that I love you. I always did. From the very first moment I met you."

~*~

**A/N – Well the next chapter is a big chapter! Goku and Turles fight and somebody dies. It's going to be a very angst ridden chapter! Please review**


	13. Sleep Forever

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – As usual I'm sorry this is late but I'm really bad at writing angst…I hope this chapter turns out okay, humor and romance are more my forte. Anyhow, in this chapter somebody dies and, yes, it is going to be either Turles or Goku, but don't think this is the last chapter! This character's death is going to have some major repercussions.**

**_Lyrics from the song 'Sleep' by the Dandy Wharhols_****.**

Chapter 12: 'Sleep Forever'

**_~*~_**

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**_~*~ And will he not come again? ~*~_**

**_~*~ No, no, he is dead: ~*~_**

**_~*~ Go to thy death-bed: ~*~_**

**_~*~ He never will come again. ~*~_**

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****

- _Ophelia from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"Please don't do this, Turles!" Bulma tugged on his arm as he followed Goku down the hallway. "I've got a really bad feeling about this!"

"He wants to fight me, Bulma, so we're going to fight." Turles didn't look at her as he spoke; his attention was focused solely on Goku.

"But, Turles! What if one of you gets hurt or killed? I couldn't bear to lose either one of you." Bulma tugged on his arm again. "Listen to me, dammit! I don't want you ending up dead!"

"This won't be a battle to the death." Turles still didn't look at Bulma as he walked along. "It will most likely be a battle to draw first blood."

"Turles, I've seen you fight! You lose control sometimes and get caught up in the blood lust…Don't ignore me, Turles!" Bulma let go of his arm and watched him walk away from her before sighing and following them out to the training grounds.

Turles itched to stop and wait for Bulma, but he couldn't. He knew that she was only doing what she thought was best, but Turles had to fight for his mate, for her. His instincts and his pride would let him do nothing else. 

Besides, until Goku was defeated, Turles knew that his brother would give him no peace.

**~*~**

Goku listened to Bulma pleading with Turles and felt his pulse race when he caught the words; _'I couldn't bear to lose either one of you!'_

She still cared for him! Perhaps she didn't love him, yet, but Goku knew that as soon as he defeated Turles, Bulma would see him as he really was and would come to him instead of staying with that poor excuse for a warrior.

Goku reached the training grounds and turned to wait for his brother, who was following him with a dangerous looking scowl on his face, his tail twitching like an irritated cat's tail.

"We'll fight here." Goku indicated the training field they were on. "And we'll fight without weapons, just with our bodies and our ki."

Turles nodded. "Will this be a fight to first blood?"

"No." Goku shook his head. "It will be a fight until one of us gives up. I would be unwilling to stop fighting for Bulma just because you drew blood."

"Me too." Turles nodded, and for an instant, a moment of understanding passed between them.

They both loved her and both of them were equally determined not to lose what they considered was their claim on her.

Goku began to stretch, missing his old uniform, which, in his opinion, was much more comfortable then the tight-fitted Saiyan uniforms which Vegeta insisted he wear.

"Turles!"

Turles halted in the middle of his own stretching and turned to face Bulma, who came running out to him. "Bulma, I have to do this…"

"I know, and since I can't talk you out of this, all I can do is ask you to be careful. I know you and I haven't always gotten along wonderfully, but I do love you and I just wanted to wish you good luck."

Turles blinked. "Thanks."

Bulma leant forward and kissed him, unaware of Goku's annoyed gaze on them.

"If you're quite finished," he interrupted, "we can get started."

"Fine by me." Turles narrowed his eyes and kissed Bulma again. "I love you," he whispered as he looked deeper into her eyes then usual, as if memorizing them.

Bulma nodded and walked away. "Good luck."

Turles turned back to Goku and smirked. "Let's dance, little brother."

**~*~**

"Do you feel that?" Nappa looked across at Vegeta.

"It's Turles and Kakarot." Vegeta didn't even bother to open his eyes. "They're fighting over Bulma."

Nappa snorted. "Why would you bother? Is she that great?"

Vegeta opened an eye. "I wouldn't know, but from what I gather, she's something else."

"Who do you think will win?"

"I have no idea." Vegeta shut his eyes again. "All I know is that this is not going to be pretty."

**~*~**

Turles ducked under Goku's punch and tried to slam a fist into his face, only too have Goku disappeared from under him and kick him viciously in the ribs.

Turles growled and leapt at Goku, managing to hit him twice in the face before he was battered away by another ferocious kick to the stomach. He watched as Goku leapt at him again, his face contorted in rage and Turles easily slipped under his punch, punching him with all of his strength in the stomach from underneath him and sending Goku flying across the compound.

Turles followed him across, hitting Goku in the stomach again as he tried to stand, and kicking him once he'd hit the ground again. Goku convulsed and coughed up blood, trying to pull himself to his feet, but Turles kicked him yet again, sending him crashing into the wall of the compound, cracks appearing on the wall around Goku's battered body.

He slumped onto the ground and was still. Turles waited for his brother to move again, knowing that he wouldn't be out for the count yet. Slowly, Goku pulled himself to his feet, breathing heavily. Blood seeped from a deep looking cut above his eye and was splattered around his mouth.

"What's wrong, little brother? Can't take the heat?"

Goku growled and coughed up some more blood.

"You should never have even bothered to fight me for her. Bulma is mine, she belongs to me and she always will. Someone as weak as you doesn't deserve to have her, anyway." Turles looked at Goku and laughed suddenly. "Why, if you'd only stood up to Raditz when he came to Erath to get you, then maybe you could have stopped me before I grew this powerful and you could have saved everyone on Earth." Turles continued to taunt without mercy as Goku began to grit his teeth. "Why, if you'd still been on Earth, your wife would be alive. Your son would be alive and all of you're friends would be alive instead of being nothing but rotting corpses."

Turles laughed and ducked under Goku again as he charged him. This time he charged up a ki blast and sent it at him, the blast hitting Goku dead on and knocking him to the ground.

"Weakling." Turles dropped to the ground and waited for the dust to clear, not surprised when he made out the shape of his brother getting to his feet again.

"I'm not going to let you beat me," Goku ground out. "Someone as evil as you doesn't deserve to have Bulma."

"You can't stop me, Goku." Turles began to gather his ki again, watching with only mild interest as Goku did the same.

"Kaaaaa Meeeeeee Haaaaaaa Meeeee…"

Turles' power began to glow and frazzle around him as Goku continued to gather his ki in an attack that Turles had never seen him use before. Turles' energy peaked and he leapt at his brother, hurling the ki ball at him as his brother finished his strange incantation and shot a beam of ki at him at the same time.

"Haaaaaa!"

The world flashed a brilliant bright white around them, both of them realized that they had underestimated the others attack.

The light grew brighter and brighter. Bulma, watching from inside the compound, felt a strange tearing feeling within her, followed by an excruciating pain which quickly shut itself away from her.

But, had it been Goku or Turles?

Finally, the light cleared and Bulma ran out onto the training field and into the cloud of dust. She could make out two shapes lying in the dust and she made her way to the closet person. Her breath stuck in her lungs when she caught sight of who it was and how bad his injuries were…

**_~*~_**

**_Well I could sleep forever, but it's of her I dream._**

**_~*~_**

****

Turles opened his eyes to find Bulma crouched over him, tears trickling down her face. He felt a burning sensation in his chest, but when he tried to move, Bulma pushed him back down again.

She opened her mouth and spoke but Turles couldn't make out what she was saying over the white noise in his head. Slowly, Turles felt the pain numb and tried to sit up again, pushing Bulma away when she tried to stop him…

Oh, God.

Turles stared at his chest and felt a wave of pure nausea sweep over him. His entire chest was a mess of blood, gore, and bone, it was a wonder he was still alive. 

"Turles?" Bulma's voice sounded far away, but at least he could hear her again.

Against his will he slumped back down, feeling his strength rapidly running away as the blood continued to leak out of his ruined chest. Above him Bulma wavered as if she too might slump to the ground, and Turles frowned; was the woman faint?

He tried to open his mouth as ask her what happened, but it suddenly seemed too much of an effort to get his mouth to move. 

At least the pain in his chest had faded. 

He looked at Bulma and managed a smile, it was funny, but lately he hadn't noticed how beautiful she'd become.

And she was beautiful and a part of him knew that it was too late to tell Bulma how sorry he was for hurting her so often. To _really tell her, not just say those things to get her to bond with him, or to get her to sleep with him, but tell her simply because it was true. _

With a strange sense of detachment, Turles realized he was dying.

**_~*~_**

**_If I could sleep forever, I could forget about everything._**

**_~*~_**

****

He felt some blood ooze its way out of his nose and from the corner of his mouth. It snaked its way down his face until Bulma wiped it off with a shaking hand.

Turles felt his eyes drift shut, but forced them open as Bulma shouted his name again.

"Don't you leave me, Turles! Don't you dare leave me..." She was crying now, really crying.

"Bulma." He managed to lift a hand to her face and trace the curve of her jaw. "I'm sorry."

Bulma sobbed as she caught the defeated look in his eyes. "You don't have to be sorry, Turles…please, don't be sorry."

"Don't cry." Turles traced her lips, using every inch of his strength to keep his hand in the air.

**_~*~_**

**_If I could sleep forever._**

**_~*~_**

Turles' hand dropped back onto the ground and he coughed up more blood. He felt so light all of a sudden…but when he looked up into Bulma's eyes he felt saddened knowing that he wouldn't see her again.

He coughed up blood again, his body wracked by spasms which were painful even through the numbness.

"Bul…Bulma…" He tried to stop himself from shaking long enough to talk…but it was hard…he felt so cold…

"Turles…no!" Bulma's voice sounded far away again, even though he could see her above him.

"Bulma…I…love you." He coughed up more blood, his body slowly stopped shaking and eventually only twitched.

He had said what he needed.

"I love you, too…" Bulma started crying in great wracking sobs as Turles slowly became still, his eyes staring past Bulma.

Turles looked beyond Bulma at the sky and, for the first time, noticed how blue it was.

Then everything went white.

**_~*~_**

**_If I could sleep forever._**

**_~*~_**

"Turles?" Bulma shook Turles' body, willing him with all her heart to wake up again. "Turles…no…you can't be dead! No, no, no, no, NO!" Bulma sobbed into her hands, slowly sinking down onto the ground to cuddle up next to Turles, the pain in her chest building and building until she thought she would die.

She clung onto her dead mate's body and cried into his neck.

It hurt.

Bulma sobbed even harder as she felt something inside of her break and, suddenly, that part of her which had been filled with Turles was empty. Bulma clung to Turles even tighter and muffled her screams into his shoulder.

She was empty...

He was gone…

Bulma tried to find some part of Turles inside of her, but he was gone…He was gone…She couldn't find his essence…She was empty...

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…" Bulma unconsciously curled her body up into the fetal position, her head still resting on Turles as she stared blankly ahead of herself and rocked.

Turles had left her alone…

**_~*~_**

**_If I could sleep forever._**

**_~*~_**

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**A/N – Turles is dead!*Sobs* and this song is so sad! I recommend everybody go and download the song 'Sleep' by the dandy Wharhols and listen to it…it so beautiful and sad…and I killed Turles! What going to happen to Bulma now? Will she die or go mad like Vegeta foretold? Is Goku even still alive?**

**Well the next chapter is going to be hell, that's all I'll say.**

**Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading for me.**


	14. Weep

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – I know this chapter took a little longer then usual to get out but I was away at schoolies all week. This chapter isn't quite as angst ridden as the last but it's still pretty sad…We get to find out what's happened to Goku…and how Bulma handles Turles' death.**

Chapter 13: 'Weep'

**_~*~_**

****

**_~*~ I hope all will be well. We must be patient: ~*~_**

**_~*~ But I cannot choose but weep, to think they should ~*~_**

**_~*~ Lay him i' the cold ground. ~*~_**

****

- _Ophelia from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"Nooooooo!"

Goku snapped back into consciousness as Bulma's scream of agony reached his ears.

Bulma!

Goku tried to stand up, but his left leg folded under him and a bolt of pain shot up his body. Momentarily blinded by the pain, Goku sunk into a sitting position and looked numbly down at his leg. The thigh bone had snapped and was sticking up through the skin.

"Turles…no…no…"

Goku looked sickly over at Bulma, who was curled up next to Turles, slowly rocking back and forth with her eyes tightly closed as though to block out something.

With an almighty effort, Goku managed to levitate himself into the air and float haltingly towards Bulma and Turles.

When Goku was almost at them he could see why Turles was so still and why Bulma had her eyes shut; Turles was dead.

Blood rushed in Goku ears and he fell to the ground as his power left him.

Turles was dead?

Goku stared at the mass of blood and gore which was all that was left of Turles' chest. Even though death had already claimed him, blood continued to pool around his body.

"Bulma?" Goku sat up again, forcing himself to look away from the body of his brother and concentrate on Bulma.

He had to take care of her now; he'd won the fight and had won his chance to claim Bulma as his mate. He had to stop her pain.

"Bulma?" Goku reached out a hand towards the traumatized beauty that lay in a shivering heap next to her former mate's body. He crawled closer and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Bulma shrieked and sprang away from him, her eyes wide with pain and fear, laced with tears. "You did this!"  
"Bulma…I didn't mean…" Goku tried haltingly to explain, but Bulma shook her head and buried her face in Turles' neck.

"You killed him! You did! I saw you! You killed him!" Her muttering was frantic and her hands stroked Turles' hair nervously.

"Bulma…stop this…" Goku reached for her again, and once more Bulma sprang out of his reach, this time trying to drag Turles' body with her.

"No! You won't take me away from him!" She curled up next to Turles and glared at Goku.

Slowly it dawned on Goku that Bulma, his beautiful friend, was mad.

She muttered incomprehensively into Turles' body again and then suddenly threw back her head and screamed, her fingers scratching at her face and hair, leaving bloody trails where they clawed.

"Bulma, stop it!" Ignoring the pain in his leg, Goku moved closer to Bulma and dragged her away from Turles, forcing her hands to her sides and away from her face.

Bulma screamed louder in his hands, kicking and clawing at him as she fought to get away.

"He's dead, Bulma! He's dead and this isn't going to bring him back!" Goku wrapped his arms around her, wincing as Bulma jarred his injured leg.

"I don't care! I want to die too! I want to die!" Bulma broke free of his grasp and scuttled back to Turles' side, dragging his body into her arms were she stared mournfully down into his face and began crying harder.

A sound behind Goku alerted him to another presence and he looked over his shoulder to see Vegeta slowly coming towards him, a sad and pained look on his face as he took in the situation.

He walked up next to Goku and glanced down at him. "I warned you." 

Goku didn't say anything as Vegeta slowly made his way over to Bulma and gently took Turles out of her lap. Bulma stared down at the spot where Turles had been, tears gently running down her void face.

"Bulma, look at me." Vegeta sat down next to her and gently touched her cheek.

Goku felt a small pang of jealousy as Bulma looked at Vegeta instead of screaming and running away as she had with him.

"It's going to be alright, I promise."

"It's never going to be alright ever again." Bulma's voice was just as empty as her face.

"The pain will stop." Vegeta carefully drew Bulma into his arms and held her as she continued to cry. "One way or another, the pain will stop." Vegeta's eyes stared accusingly at Goku as he rubbed the back of Bulma's heartbroken form, lifting her into his arms. "I can promise you that much."

Bulma only sobbed louder and clutched at Vegeta as though he was the last sturdy thing in her world.

**~*~**

"Is she getting any better?" Goku came up beside Vegeta, who was watching Bulma through a glass barrier.

"Worse." Vegeta looked briefly at him, and then looked back to Bulma. "She's getting worse."

It had been two weeks since Turles had died. Goku spent most of that time in a healing tank, but Vegeta had spent almost all of his time either with Bulma, or with Raven.

During those two weeks Bulma had slowly sunken into a depression that was so bleak and black that even Goku felt it through his one-sided bond to Bulma. At first she had merely been angry and upset, but, soon enough, Bulma had slowly gone out of her mind from the pain and emptiness inside of her.

Seeing Bulma so fragile and distant had hurt Goku more then he thought anyone could hurt him, and it hurt him even more to know that her pain was being caused by him.

"Are we going to do it now?" Goku looked away from Bulma and back to Vegeta again.

"We have no other choice, we have to do it now or she'll die."

"She's so lonely." Goku ran a hand through his hair as the loneliness that dwelt in Bulma seeped a little into him.

"She's dying of a broken heart. How would you expect her to be feeling?" Vegeta opened the door that led into Bulma's room. 

"How do we do this?" Goku went to stand beside Bulma, her appearance giving off the impression that the slightest touch might shatter her.

"She just has to drink your blood and the bond between you will be finished." Vegeta looked from Goku to Bulma. "You realize that she's going to hate you for doing this to her."

"I don't care how much she hates me, just so long as she's well again." Goku sat down next to Bulma and ran a hand through her hair.

Last night Vegeta had come to him and explained that the only way to save Bulma would be for another bond to be formed with her, and since Goku already had half a bond formed, the obviously solution was for him to complete it.

So, here he was; about to tie the woman who had been his best friend for longer then he could remember, to him, forever.

So why did he feel as if he was about to hand her a sentence of life imprisonment? The answer came to Goku in an unpleasant flash; because he wasn't just tying Bulma to him, he was forcing her against her will to join with him.

But he couldn't just let her die.

Even if Bulma hated him so much it poisoned their bond, Goku knew he would never let her go if it meant she would suffer like this again. But what would their life be like together if Bulma did despise him as much as he suspected she would? Would he be forced to sit by and watch as she had affairs with other men? Would he be forced to feel her love for another man?

Goku snapped back to reality to find Vegeta looking at him expectantly with a scalpel in his hand.

"You have to cut yourself and let her drink your blood." Vegeta handed him the scalpel and stepped back.

"I thought she had to bite me?" Goku held the razor-sharp knife to his wrist.

"Biting is the traditional way of bonding, but it isn't the bite that actually causes the bond, it's the blood. Once Bulma drinks your blood she'll be tied to you and you to her, forever."

Goku nodded and ran the blade along his wrist, cutting a shallow grove into his skin in which blood instantly welled up. Carefully, he held his wrist over Bulma's mouth and watched in morbid fascination as drops of his blood splashed onto her lips, staining them like some sort of exotic lipstick.

Goku reached across and gently parted her lips with a finger, dripping more of his blood into her mouth. Bulma licked her lips and swallowed in a reflect action.

Goku felt that tenuous hold he had on Bulma strengthen, and then, in a sudden burst of emotion, he felt Bulma's mind inside of his head. He felt her take his essence inside of her and in return give some of herself to him.

Goku opened his eyes to find himself kneeling by Bulma's bed with Vegeta supporting him. Goku could feel Bulma in his head, but her presence wasn't disturbing, rather, it was comforting as though she was meant to be there.

Vegeta pulled him back into his seat and Goku looked down at Bulma, who was awake and staring at the ceiling, her cornflower-blue eyes wide and frightened looking.

She slowly turned her head and looked at Goku, and then, with agonizing slowness, she pulled herself up into a sitting position and spoke:

"I hate you, Goku."

**~*~**

**A/N – Another chapter done…poor Goku! Can Bulma learn to love him, or is he doomed to be tied to an angry, hateful woman forever?   
(Who? Are you talking about Chichi? ^_~ Lmao! – Ane.)   
Please review and the next chapter will be out soon! (Sooner then this one was anyway!)**


	15. Second Husband

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N - Okay we have some more Goku/Bulma angst in this chapter, and Bulma finally finds out what kind of person Turles really was.**

**Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beat reading for me!**

Chapter 14: 'Second Husband'

**_~*~_**

****

**_~*~ O, confound the rest! ~*~_**

**_~*~ Such love must needs be treason in my breast: ~*~_**

**_~*~ In second husband let me be accurst! ~*~_**

**_~*~ None wed the second but who killed the first. ~*~_**

****

_- Player Queen from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

Bulma glared at Goku, then turned it to Vegeta. "How could you let him do this? I'd rather have been stuck with you than with _him_!" 

Goku flinched as Bulma's presence in his mind took on a wrathful feel. "You would have died…"

"What made you think I wanted to live? Dying would have been heaven compared to this!" Bulma spat angrily, her blue eyes glowing with an inner anger which was all too obvious.

"Well maybe _we_ couldn't stand to see you wasting away." Vegeta glared back at Bulma. "And what do you think Turles would think of us if we let his mate die?"

"Turles wouldn't think anything. He's dead." Bulma directed her hateful eyes back to Goku. "This is all your fault."

"I know, I'm sorry." Goku reached out to touch Bulma and she moved away, scowling at him.

"You know, Bulma, there isn't really any point in hating Goku. No matter how stubborn you are, within a few weeks your bond will strengthen and you'll become just as attached to him as you were to Turles." Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest and stood up.

"Never!" Bulma breathed in outrage. "I would never come to love…" She stared at Goku and something flashed through her eyes which she quickly hid. "I'm never going to love anyone as much as I do Turles!"

"You know, I bet you said that to Turles about Yamcha, didn't you?" Goku stood up and left the room, ignoring Bulma's splutters behind him. "I'll be back later to check up on you."

Vegeta watched Goku go before turning back to Bulma. "He didn't mean to kill Turles, Bulma, he really didn't. You should have seen the state he was in when you passed out in my arms after Turles died. He was…he was really surprised at himself. I know that both Turles and Kakarot were fighting to the best of their abilities, and that meant that they both understood the risks they were taking, but even still I don't think either one of them meant to harm the other too much."

"You're wrong!" Bulma clutched the blanket to her. "Once they started fighting they couldn't stop! They both knew exactly what they were doing the entire time! They didn't lose control at all!" Bulma let go of her blanket and flopped back on the bed. "I don't…I don't want to hate Goku. I really don't." Bulma looked up at Vegeta with tears in her eyes. "He's my best friend…or at least he was."

"If you really want to find out the truth about what happened, Bulma, then I suggest you go and ask Goku if he'll share his memories with you." Vegeta walked out of the room, leaving Bulma to stare up at the ceiling.

**~*~**

"Goku?" Bulma tapped him on the shoulder even though she already _knew_ that he'd sensed her through the bond.

It was amazing how much of Goku's feelings and emotions she could feel…not to mention his memories. Unlike Turles, who had bottled everything up inside and hadn't shared them with her…Was this a true bond? This sharing?

No…Turles had had his reasons for not wanting Bulma to see his past, he hadn't been trying to hide himself from her through the bond. He'd loved her too much to have done that.

"Goku?" Bulma tapped him again and he slowly turned around.

"What is it? Have you come to tell me what a horrible, murdering scum-bag I am?" Goku looked incredibly downtrodden, and now that Bulma could see his sad looking eyes, she could feel depression radiating off him in waves.

"I…" Bulma looked away from those sad, sad eyes and steeled herself. "I want to see your memories of the fight with Turles."

Goku was silent for several minutes. "I don't think you should see them."

"Well, I do." Bulma looked back into his eyes. "I…I trusted you once Turles and I wanted to trust you, but after everything you did…" Bulma trailed off as Goku stepped closer to her.

"You still don't believe that I love you, do you?" Goku shook his head and then raised a hand to Bulma's cheek. 

As soon as his skin touched hers, Bulma felt his love for her…but it wasn't love like she knew it. Turles had loved her, too, but his love hadn't felt anything like this. Goku's love was thick and warm and surrounded her until she couldn't breathe. She felt how much he needed her, she felt just how far his love ran…and she suddenly realized that she was Goku's obsession.

Turles' love for her had sprouted from passion, but Goku's had grown from an obsession and it was love as Bulma had never known it.

_No wonder he wouldn't let me go…_

 The thought shifted through Bulma's mind like quicksilver and she knew by the widening of Goku's eyes that he too had heard the thought. He instantly pulled his hand away form her cheek and the intensity of the bond dropped away until all Bulma could feel was Goku's depression again.

"You finally understand." Goku nodded to himself. "But if you wish to see the memory of your first love die, then I'll show it to you." Goku held up his hand again. "Take my hand and you'll be able to see everything you wish. I won't stop you."

Bulma stared at his hand then reached forward and grabbed it, a low moan escaping her as blackness crowded her vision and she felt herself falling down…down…down…

**~*~*~*~**

_Goku tried to punch Turles, but he dodged underneath. A flash of annoyance sped through Goku as he saw Turles preparing to hit him. Quickly he dodged under his punch and kicked him viciously. Turles' grunt of pain was music to Goku's ears. _

_Turles leapt at Goku and hit him twice in the face before Goku defended himself by kicking him again in the stomach._

_~This isn't as easy as I thought...~_

**The thought was loud and clear, and Bulma started as she realized she was re-living Goku's memory of the fight with Turles…**

_Pain. Red, searing pain flashed across Goku's vision as Turles slipped under his punch and punched him roughly in the chest. As Goku flew backwards and hit the compound wall, he heard a sickening crack and knew his ribs were broken…It hurt…but he couldn't give up…he wouldn't lose Bulma to the same man who had stolen his family._

_Goku tried to stand, but Turles appeared in front of him and kicked him back to the ground. He tasted blood and coughed some up as he tried to stand once more, only to have Turles kick him back down again. This time, Goku had to orientate himself before he could try to move again…the pain was making it hard to think…_

_"What's wrong, little brother? Can't take the heat?"_

**Bulma felt a spasm of anger shoot through Goku at the comment, and felt him growl…**

_"You should never have even bothered to fight me for her. Bulma is mine; she belongs to me and she always will. Someone as weak as you doesn't deserve to have her, anyway." Turles was staring down at Goku with malice…_

**Bulma felt something crawl through her at the sound of Turles' voice. She'd never heard him sound so…evil before.**

_ Turles was laughing at him now. "Why, if you'd only stood up to Raditz when he came to Earth to get you, then maybe you could have stopped me before I grew this powerful and you could have saved everyone on that pathetic planet of yours." _

_Goku gritted his teeth and began to muster his strength…How could Bulma love this? He heard Turles speaking again and listened with growing rage._

_"Why, if you'd still been on Earth, your wife would be alive. Your son would be alive, and all of your friends would be alive instead of being nothing but rotting corpses."_

**Bulma felt a wave of revulsion wash over her. She'd known Turles was cruel…but to say something like that…**

_Goku leapt to his feet and charged Turles even though he knew he wasn't strong enough. Sure enough, Turles dodged him and sent a ki blast at him. Pain ripped through Goku as he fell to the ground yet again, struggling to keep a clear head._

_"Weakling." Turles' voice was distant but clear._

_Through the dust billowing around him, Goku could see the shape of his brother waiting for him. "I'm not going to let you beat me, someone as evil as you doesn't deserve to have Bulma,"_

_"You can't stop me, Goku." Turles began to gather his ki again._

_Goku swallowed and began to gather his own…He didn't want to kill Turles…but he was out of control, if he didn't stop him, Turles was going to kill him!_

_"Kaaaaa Meeeeeee Haaaaaaa Meeeee…" Goku began his Kamehameha attack, praying in the back of his mind that Turles' ki blast wouldn't be strong enough to counter it._

_Turles' power began to glow and frazzle around him, the energy peaked and with a growl Turles leapt at him, hurling the ki ball._

_"Haaaaaa!"_

_The world flashed a brilliant bright white around them and they both realized that they had underestimated the others attack…_

**~*~*~*~**

****

With a jerk, Bulma was brought back to her own body. She was slumped in Goku's arms on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

How could she have misjudged Turles so badly? It hadn't been Goku's fault at all…it had been Turles' fault!

"He loved you, Bulma. You didn't misjudge Turles at all; he loved you just as much as I do." Goku looked sadly down at her. "I didn't want to show you that. I didn't want to ruin your memories of Turles."

Bulma sobbed louder. "I…I didn't want to believe he was a bad person, but I knew…I knew he was like that underneath it all."

Goku didn't know how to answer that, so he just held her as she sobbed her heart out.

**~*~**

**A/N - I know this chapter was shorter then I promised, but I've got a job now so I can't spend all day working on chapters like I used too. Anyhow, please review. I have a feeling this fic will end soon…probably not the next chapter, but soon.**


	16. Great Love

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – A lot of people got the wrong idea about the last chapter so I'm going to clarify something for you all – Bulma didn't forgive Goku in the last chapter, she's upset because she found out that Turles really was quite a bastard – but she loves him anyway.**

**And as for the people, who were freaking out over me cutting the fic short, don't worry because I won't write a short crappy ending, the fic will end when it ends.**

Chapter 15: 'Great Love'

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**_~*~ _**

**_Now, what my love is, proof hath made you know; ~*~_**

**_~*~ And as my love is sized, my fear is so: ~*~_**

**_~*~ Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear; ~*~_**

**_~*~ Where little fears grow great, great love grows there. ~*~_**

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_- Player Queen from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

Vegeta awkwardly held Raven in his arms as Bulma finished plaiting her hair.

"Thanks Vegeta." Bulma held out her arms and Vegeta gratefully handed the squirming baby back.

"I don't think she likes me." Vegeta rubbed his hand where Raven had bitten him moments before.

"Of course she likes you, she was just playing." Bulma hugged her small daughter. "Weren't you honey? You were toying with the prince!"

Raven gurgled happily and squeaked with laughter as Bulma tickled her.

"I'm telling you, the baby has something against me!" Vegeta felt himself blush as mother and daughter turned to give him identical looks of impatience.

"Nonsense, you're just imagining thing." Bulma put Raven down in her cot and kissed her.

"She bit me!" Vegeta insisted and crossed his arms. "_And she pulled my hair __and yesterday she tried to scratch my eyes out!" He stared at Raven whose eyes were gleaming evilly at him. _

There was something about that baby that troubled him…she was a saiyan through and through and yet she had an intelligence which was astounding for a baby…

"Oh Vegeta! Honestly! You know why she pushes you around? Because you're too soft with babies!"

"Too soft…" Vegeta's jaw dropped open and he stared at Bulma in shock. "I am _not_ too soft with her!"

"Whatever you say." Bulma rolled her eyes and stretched. "Where's Goku gone?"

"Probably training." Vegeta watched Bulma from the corner of his eye. "You two seem to be getting on much better lately."

"A little better." Bulma sighed and flopped into a chair. "Since I saw that memory of Turles saying those awful things I've been able to forgive Goku a little…but he still killed my mate and I can't forgive him for such a big thing yet. I'm trying to get over it…but I loved Turles! I loved him with all my heart and seeing him die, killed by my own best friend was…was…well, it was one of the worst things to ever happen to me."

"He does love you, you know." Vegeta sank gracefully into a chair across from Bulma and scrutinised her face.

"I know, and part of me is always going to love him as a friend…but I can't even begin to love him as anything else at the moment. Turles' death is still so close…it still hurts every time I think about him." Bulma sighed. "I know I should move on, I know I should forgive Goku, after all he did kill Turles defending himself…"

"So why don't you forgive him?" Vegeta prodded.

"I…I'm trying, but I loved Turles in a way I don't love Goku!" Bulma seemed to come to her senses and she stood up. "Talking of trying, I'm thinking of taking a trip back to Earth with Goku to see if we can find any survivors. It is possible that some people survived Turles attack."

Vegeta nodded but looked doubtful. "I think that's a good idea. You and Goku need some time alone." 

"Will you be able to watch Raven while I'm gone?" Bulma smiled sweetly and battered her eye lashes at Vegeta, already knowing what his answer would be…

"Absolutely not!" Vegeta bristled. "I will not look after a child that holds a grudge against me. I will however, allow her to stay at my apartment and be cared for by a nanny while you're gone." Vegeta gave her a dignified look. "I suppose it is the least I could do since you did agree for her to become my mate." Vegeta looked a little pale at the thought. "Hopefully she'll have outgrown her grudge by her late teens."

Bulma swallowed her laughter and nodded gravely. "Yes, we can only hope."

**~*~**

"Kakarot!" 

Vegeta's voice broke through the silence like a whip lash; guiltily Goku clambered to his feet and looked anywhere but at Vegeta who was glowering at him from the doorway.

"Training are we? Getting stronger are we?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm and Goku was forced to raise his eyes to meet Vegeta's mocking gaze. "Yes I can see how hard you're training."

Goku wiped sleep from his eyes and yawned. "I was training! I swear! I just got a little tired…"

"You're not here to slack off Kakarot! Just because I've been cutting you some slack lately because of your mate and her troubles, doesn't mean I'm going to allow you to go soft." Vegeta scowled ferociously and Goku swallowed, not wishing to incur the wrath of Vegeta.

"Sorry Vegeta…" 

"Sorry nothing! I don't want apogees, I want to spar with someone worthy and if you go too soft on me I won't be able to train with you – will I?"

"You could spar with Frieza!" Goku said in a joking voice, trying to lighten the mood but Vegeta only deepened his frown.

"If that was a joke, then it was in the worst possible taste. Frieza is not someone to joke about; he is as dangerous as they come." Vegeta began to stretch in readiness for a sparring match.

"Well then, you could spar with Nappa…or with Raditz!"

"Those idiots are even weaker then you are." Vegeta scowled again. "No, I won't settle for anything less then someone of your strength as a sparing partner." Vegeta finished stretching and looked over at Goku. "Ready?"

"Of course!" Goku crouched in a fighting stance and waited for Vegeta to initiate the attack.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Vegeta's battle cry echoed around the training room, reaching Goku's ears seconds after Vegeta's fist had connected with his face.

_How was he that fast? How did Vegeta manage to become so strong?_

Goku dodged under the next punch his prince threw at him and launched himself into the air; gathering his ki into small balls of burning light then halting mid flight and slamming his fist and the ki balls they contained into an unsuspecting Vegeta who had been chasing him.

As Vegeta was flung back to the ground from the force of his unexpected attack Goku phased underneath him and kicked him back into the air.

Preparing to attack again, Goku crouched on the ground and powered up yet again, but before he could fly after his sparring partner, Vegeta disappeared and the next thing Goku felt was a piercing pain in his head as Vegeta reappeared behind him and dealt him a stinging kick to the head.

The fight wore on and on, both of them sweating and grunting as they followed their body's instincts and fought as they never had before. 

Their attacks became fiercer and their defences improved beyond either of them had expected.

Slowly but surely a new power built inside of them both, a power which sung through their veins and pounded inside their skulls, demanding to be let out. The power bore down upon them both at the same time, an ancient power which bit and stung and yet urged them both on and on.

With equal screams of pain and rage they were both swallowed by a swirling mass of bright light. It whirled around them with the fury of a tornado; whipping and tearing at them, forcing them both to change - and deep inside the swirling binding cloud black hair change to gold and endless black eyes turned to clear turquoise as both of them were pulled into a transformation which had not been seen for thousands of years.

When the power receded and the blinding light faded the two warriors found themselves staring down at themselves in wonderment. The power that pumped through their veins was unimaginable. It made the ground tremble around them; it made the sky glow in reflection of their new glory.

"This…this is unbelievable!" It was Vegeta who spoke first, his cultured accent thicker then usual. He was staring at his own hands as if he couldn't believe was he was seeing. 

"I know! I feel as though I've been reborn!" Goku's voice was less reverent then Vegeta's, it held only a deep seeded excitement.

"In a way you have been." Vegeta vented a rough laugh. "We have, both of us, transformed into the ultimate saiyan warrior! Super saiyans!" Vegeta laughed again and clenched a fist. "The true power that we have inside of us is finally free, we are complete Kakarot! We have achieved the perfection that our race has dreamt of for centuries!"

"Super saiyans." Goku tasted the word and nodded slowly. "It feels right…_this_ feels right."

Vegeta unclenched his fist then re-clenched it again and began to power up, causing the ground to shake and the buildings to tremble. "This power is amazing! I feel as though I could take on Frieza and win!" Abruptly Vegeta's power dropped and both his hair and his eyes turned back to jet black. He looked at Goku and a small smirk crept over his mouth. "And I shall."

"Do what? Why'd you let the power go?" Goku followed Vegeta's example and relaxed back to normal.

"I let the power go because I can reclaim it again at anytime. I have the blood of countless super saiyans running through my veins, it was destiny to one day become a super saiyan." Vegeta looked sideways at Goku. "Of course _you_ may not be strong enough to reclaim the power, but we shall deal with that bridge when we come to it. For now we have more important matters to worry about."

"What? What are you talking about?" Goku frowned in confusion.

"I'm talking about Frieza." Vegeta growled. "We now have enough power at our disposal to rid the universe of him forever, but we must tread carefully. We must let no one know of our power of that runt Frieza might run."

"Do you think he would?" Goku frowned harder then slowly nodded. "Yes, yes I see now! You want to defeat Frieza…but you…" Goku trailed off again and his look slipped back to one of confusion. "I still don't see why we're hiding out power."

"You fool!" Vegeta bit out viciously. "If Frieza knows that we have become super saiyans he will run, or even worse he might hold those nearest to us as hostages!"

Gou's eyes cleared again as what Vegeta was saiyan dawned on him. "Bulma! You're talking about Bulma!"

"And Raven" Vegeta slotted in tensely. "We cannot afford to mortgage the future of our race by acting in haste. We must plan our next more carefully."

**~*~**

**A/N – Yeah I know not much happened in this chapter…in the way of Goku/Bulma-ness. But the next chapter is bound to have some more G/B in it…as well as a little more anti-Frieza talk by our two favourite saiyans! Anyhow please review!**

**Also if any of you are interested in reading a one shot sequel about Vegeta and Raven please let me know because I might write one if enough people would read it.**


	17. Love Lead Fortune

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N - Not many people reviewed the last chapter…either most people didn't know it was up or people are still angry about me taking so long to update. Sorry about that again! But I actually have a job now so I have a real excuse for slower updates!**

**Anyhow this is an edited chapter, if you want the lemon chapter then email me!**

Chapter 16: 'Love Lead Fortune'

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**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ This world is not for aye; nor 'tis not strange, ~*~_**

**_~*~ That even our love should with our fortunes change; ~*~_**

**_~*~ For 'tis a question left us yet to prove, ~*~_**

**_~*~ Wether love lead fortune, or else fortune love._****_ ~*~_**

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_- Player King from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

"Are we still going to Earth?" Bulma stood up as Goku tried, unsuccessfully, to sneak into the room without alerting her to his presence.

"I, uh, don't know. Vegeta and I…"

"Yes or no, Goku?" Bulma stood in his way when he tried to dodge past.

"I don't know." Goku cleared his throat, unaware that he looked exactly like somebody with a secret, trying to pretend that they didn't have a secret. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Bulma scrutinized Goku for a minute longer then sighed. "No reason…It's just that I was looking forward to going away with you." Bulma blushed. "I mean…we do need to talk about 'us'."

"I thought you said there isn't going to be an 'us'?" Goku tried to slip past again. "Look, can you get out of my way? I need to change."

"What's with you tonight?" Bulma finally backed off and Goku slipped past into his bedroom. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" Goku's voice was muffled and Bulma walked to his doorway only to see him struggling to pull the top half of his training suit off. For a minute her mouth ran dry as she ran her gaze over his muscled chest.

"Like…" Bulma snapped herself back to reality and quickly averted her eyes. "Like a jerk. You're acting just like how Turles did, back when he…" Bulma's voice trailed off as the now familiar flood of pain she felt when she thought about him swamped her, and for a second it became impossible to breath.

Goku groaned in the next room. "Can you stop thinking about him for a second? I don't like feeling this…pain…from you all the time. It's depressing."

"Me?" Bulma spluttered. "You're the one who's acting like Turles!"

"For all the good it's done me." The moment the words seeped out of Goku's mouth, he would have done anything to take them back.

Why had he said that? He didn't mean that! He hadn't even been aware that he was acting like Turles until Bulma told him so! What was wrong with him?

"You're _trying_ to act like Turles?" Bulma felt a wave of sickness wash over her. "I don't want you to be Turles, Goku. I want you to be you." 

Bulma stepped back from the door and walked away as a heavy weight seemed to settle on her shoulders. Her chest ached as though she were about to cry, but no tears came this time.

"It's Vegeta." Goku gently put a hand on Bulma's shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. "He doesn't think it's a good idea for us to leave…At least not now."

"Since when have you listened to Vegeta?" Bulma tried to shrug of Goku's hand, but he wasn't easily put off.

"Since I realized he knows what's best for those around him. He's a natural leader, Bulma; a prince. And when he says something there is _always_ a good reason for it." Goku turned Bulma around and pulled her closer to him, his keen Saiyan sight picking up the slight dilation in her pupils.

But was it from fear or desire?

"So, we're not going?" Bulma tried to ignore the prickly feeling which was making its way down her spine. Was being close to Goku doing this to her?

"Not at the moment…but maybe in the future when everything's a little simpler." Goku didn't let go of Bulma when she tried to break free of his grasp, instead he watched her for a minute, wishing he had the uncanny ability that Vegeta had of reading peoples emotions in their eyes.

There was something there, though…He could feel a struggle within her through the bond…if only he knew how to work the Saiyan bond properly!

"Do you really hate me that much?" Goku's question was unexpected and Bulma blinked as she tried to understand what he was talking about.

"What?"

"You're fighting your attraction to me, I was just wondering if you really hate me so much. You're going to try and kill the…chemistry that we have between us."

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Bulma tried to struggle free.

"Then I'll show you." Goku lent down and placed his lips against Bulma's, gently kissing her until he felt her hold on, the block on their bond wavering.

Bulma moaned in the back of her throat and leant into the kiss, but she didn't let down her guard, she kept it up.

Goku dragged his mouth away and looked down with satisfaction at Bulma's confused eyes and red cheeks.

"Why did you st…" She choked off whatever she was going to say and looked away. "Why did you kiss me?"

"To prove a point. Even though you want me, and make no mistake, Bulma, you do want me, you still won't let me inside you…Through the bond, I mean." This time it was Goku's turn to blush.

Bulma tried to think of something to say to that, but what could she say? Everything Goku had said so far was true. She _did_ want him and she didn't like the fact that she did.

"What do you expect me to say to that? Sorry I don't want to sleep with the man who killed my husband?"

"Well, you slept with the man who killed your parents and my family!" Goku looked angry, as angry as he'd looked the day he'd fought Turles. "Why him? Of all the men you had to fall for, why did you fall for the man who slaughtered everybody I care for?"

"I don't know! I didn't choose to fall in love with him, Goku! Do you think I wanted to be with him in the beginning? I didn't! I hated him!" Bulma felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I hated him for what he did!"

"You forgave him! Why not me?" The air around Goku was positively throbbing with anger.

"I do forgive you! There! Are happy? I forgive you for killing my husband! I forgive you for not coming to save us on Earth! I forgive you for everything!" Bulma burst into tears and slid to the floor, her body heaving with sobs. "I'm sorry…"

Goku, who had been about to lean down and comfort Bulma, halted.

_I forgive you for not coming to save us on Earth!_

Her words echoed through his mind and Goku closed his eyes as realization hit him. "I wasn't there..."

His words were soft, but Bulma apparently heard them. She looked up, her wide blue eyes shining with tears. "I kept thinking you'd come…and you didn't!" Her tone was accusatory. "All my life you've been there to save me, and the one time I really needed you, you weren't there! I hated you for that! I hate you…" She sobbed again and for the first time opened herself to Goku through the bond.

He could see how badly hurt she was, how badly damaged her heart was. Everyone had let her down in some way or another, and her heart was breaking from all the abuse.

"I'm sorry..." Goku blindly reached for Bulma through the haze of pain and sadness which surrounded her heart and tried to shine a little of his optimistic light there. "I would have come if I'd known. You know I'd never have let those things happen if I knew about them. Didn't you know that was why I hated Turles so much? I couldn't understand why you loved the man who had taken everything away from you."

"He was there." Bulma shut the bond again and Goku had the feeling of being pushed out of her mind. "Turles was there when you weren't! It didn't matter that he was the cause of it all, he was the one who was there for me when everything collapsed."

"I'm here now, let me be the one who catches you this time." Goku pulled Bulma's limp body into his arms. "Let me be the one who loves you."

Bulma rested her head on his chest and hiccuped. "Don't leave me, Goku…Whatever happens, don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere." Goku kissed her forehead then, unable to stop himself, and kissed her neck. 

He held her more firmly against him, nuzzling her neck as his hands swept up and down her body in soothing movements. Bulma moaned quietly and Goku gently bit her earlobe as he picked her up and carried her over to his bed.

"Is this what you want?" Goku's voice was hoarse with need as he gently but quickly undressed Bulma, who was looking at him with those shielded eyes.

"Yes." She caught Goku's face between her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. "Yes…"

**~*~**

**A/N - Okay now remember that this is an edited chapter. If you want the lemony version which is quite a bit longer (^_^) then please email me and I'll send it to you!**

**Thanks again to Ane S. Thesia for weaving her beta magic!**


	18. Master The Devil

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

****

**A/N – Okay, there's a little more G/B-ness in this chapter, but it's more of a focus on Frieza and Bulma (you all know how I love my F/B interludes!) Anyhow, please enjoy! Oh yes and if you got the lemon chapter of the last chapter from me this starting bit is going to look a little familiar!**

**Thanks to Ane S. Thesia for beta reading – one of these days I'm going to pay you back!**

Chapter 17: 'Master The Devil'

**__**

**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ To the next abstinence: the next more easy; ~*~_**

**_~*~ For use almost can change the stamp of nature, ~*~_**

**_~*~ And master the devil, or throw him out ~*~_**

**_~*~ With wondrous potency. ~*~_**

**__**

_- Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

**__**

Goku was asleep, but for Bulma, sleep was more elusive and she laid in her husband's brother's arms for hours. 

_"This is the very ecstasy of love;_

_Whose violent property fordoes itself,_

_And leads the will to desperate undertakings,_

_As oft as any passion under heaven_

_That does afflict our natures."_Bulma murmured a quote from Hamlet as she finally started to drift off. Her thoughts were still madly swirling through her head as she tried to make sense of all that had happened. Was this right? Was she right to love Goku even after he had killed Turles?

Would his sins be hers in death?

**~*~**

Someone was banging on the door, Bulma registered, as she woke up with a start. Next to her Goku slept on, oblivious to the noise.

Bulma snuck out of the bed and hurriedly dressed. She opened the door to find Vegeta standing there with a very pissed-off Raditz, and an even more disgruntled Nappa.

"Uh…can I help you?" Bulma stepped back as the three Saiyans barged through her front door.

"Where's Kakarot?" Vegeta seemed to be in an incredibly bad mood today, Bulma thought, as she walked back into Goku's bedroom and shook him awake.

"Goku? Get up, Vegeta's here." Goku mumbled something and rolled over. 

"Goku?" Bulma shook him harder and he sat up, blinking in surprise when he saw Bulma.

"What are you doing in…Oh…_Oh!__"_ Goku's tone turned all-knowing when he remembered what had taken place the night before.

"Not now!" Bulma spalled his hand away when he reached for her. "Vegeta and his two little cabbage patch buddies are here."

"Oh." Goku's 'oh' was decidedly dejected. "Do I at least get a kiss good morning?"

Bulma opened her mouth to tell him no, but he leant up and kissed her anyway. Not that Bulma minded that much. Goku was a good kisser. A _very_ good kisser!

"Well, well. It seems that you two _are_ getting along better." Vegeta's amused voice came from the doorway and Bulma leaped back with a startled 'eep'.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Bulma walked out of the room as Goku jumped out of bed, indifferent to his nakedness.

Vegeta blushed and hurriedly looked away. "Could you put some clothes on and stop prancing around naked?" he ground out.

"I _am_ getting dressed. You could just leave the room." Goku pulled on a training suit and pulled his armor over his head. Vegeta mumbled something that didn't sound very friendly and left the room.

"What's wrong?" Bulma nervously glanced at Nappa and Raditz, who both stared solidly back at her.   
"Yeah, what's wrong?" Goku appeared in the doorway and yawned.

"Frieza has ordered us to eliminate the inhabitants of Taurine." Vegeta sounded very grim. "They were allies to Frieza, but recently backed out of the alliance. Frieza thinks that they must have some new weapon, so before he sends his precious elite army in, he wants us to go in first and see what they're going to be up against."

"So, in other words, he's sending you on a suicide mission?" Bulma crossed her arms angrily. "The nerve of that man!"

"Oh, he isn't making us go in, but if we go in we get a rather large sum of money." Vegeta shrugged. "Besides, we haven't been killed yet."

Nappa grunted in agreement with Vegeta. Raditz looked bored but nodded, and Goku stared vaguely at Vegeta.

"I don't know…I mean, what if I die and Bulma dies?" Goku glanced at Bulma and, through the bond, she realized that the real reason he wanted to stay was so they could…

Bulma gasped out loud in shock. She would never have guessed Goku could have such a dirty mind!

"I know it's dangerous," Vegeta spoke up, misinterpreting Bulma's gasp. "But I feel secure that we will all come out alive. I've studied the files on the Taurine people and, although they are strong fighters, technologically they are behind even the Earth people. Besides, we have our own secret weapon." Vegeta glanced at Goku and they exchanged a secretive look.  
"And what does _that _mean exactly? What are you two up to?" Bulma stalked forward and glared the two main men in her life. "Goku Son! If you're plotting anything dangerous behind my back…"

"Oh, come on, Bulma! Would I do something as stupid as that?" Goku gave an unconvincing laugh. "Look, we need money, so we're going to go get some by working. This is our job. As far as I know it was also Turles' job." Goku stifled a sigh as Bulma flinched at the name of her old mate. "I'm going to come back alive, don't you worry."

"I don't trust you two." Bulma sighed and glanced at Nappa and Raditz who still stood there with stoney looks on their faces. "Do _you_ know what their secret weapon is?"

Nappa grunted again mysteriously and Raditz gave a single shake of his head.

"Great. That's just what I need; silent Saiyans." Bulma pouted and spent the next ten minutes glaring at Goku as he moved around his room packing his gear.

"I'm going to come back, Bulma, you'll see!" Goku hugged her. "I'm not going to let you down ever again!"

"I know, just come back again." Bulma kissed his neck and realized that she was struggling to hold back her tears as Goku walked away.

**~*~**

"Miss Briefs?" Bulma was working on a new invention in the science labs when a voice interrupted her.

"Yes?" She turned around but couldn't see anyone. "What do you want?"

Zarbon stepped out from the shadowed doorway and smiled indulgently at her. "Lord Frieza requests your presence."

"Oh." Bulma blinked. She had only seen Frieza once and that had been when she had first arrived. He hadn't impressed her as being quite as terrifying as Turles had made out. But he had seemed a little creepy. "He wants to see me now?"

"Yes. While your mate is away." Zarbon widened his creepy grin and held the door open for her. "We best not keep him waiting."

"I suppose not." Bulma turned the computer off and stood up. Something about this meeting with Frieza seemed wrong. That little voice inside of her head which she had always called her women's intuition was screaming at her not to follow Zarbon to a meeting with Frieza.

"Do you know why he wants to see me?" Bulma nervously glanced at the blue-skinned goon.

"No." Zarbon chuckled. "But I do have an idea or two."

Bulma swallowed hard and tried not to appear ill at ease as Zarbon entered Frieza's throne room.

Frieza was lounging on his throne with a glass of what looked like wine. He raised his eyes to Bulma and smiled warmly. Immediately Bulma knew something was up. Frieza was never nice unless he wanted something big.

"Lord Frieza?" Bulma knelt briefly as Turles had shown her to do. "You wished to see me?"

"I wished to talk to you, actually." Frieza chuckled at his joke and motioned for Bulma to walk closer. "Tell me, how are things going with your new mate?"

"Fine," Bulma mumbled tensely. "Everything's fine."

"Are you sure? You look a little…_tense._ Hasn't your mate been performing his…_duties_?" Frieza slithered off his throne and crept closer to Bulma when she made no move to walk closer to him.

"Goku and I are getting along just fine and it's none of your business what Goku and I do in our spare time." Bulma crossed her arms, her flesh crawling with revulsion as Frieza gave her what was supposed to be a reassuring smile.

"Actually, as the Emperor it is my business to know what goes on in my kingdom. I could order you to tell me every single thing that you and Goku do in private and I could have you put to death if you didn't." Frieza laughed maniacally at Bulma's panicked expression. "But of course I wouldn't do that. Putting you to death would only stir up trouble with the Saiyans."

"Big trouble," Bulma agreed, forcing herself to speak. "Vegeta would…"

"It is funny you should mention Vegeta's name. You see, he is the one I wish to speak to you about."

"What do you want to know?" Bulma stepped away from Frieza as his tail brushed against her leg.

"Oh, not much." Frieza shrugged nonchalantly. "It's just that you and Vegeta seem to get along so well. When you first arrived I half expected Vegeta to challenge Turles and try to take you."

"Vegeta isn't interested in me like that," Bulma protested.

"Oh, I know that now. He has far too much honor to disgrace the last of his people by doing that. And besides, he does seem to be taking an unnatural interest in your daughter." Frieza watched Bulma closely.

"Of course he would. She is the first female Saiyan to be born in years, it's only natural that he would wish to bond with her." Bulma backed away as Frieza moved closer.

"Hmm, it is possible that you are correct. However, I have heard another whisper about why he wants her." Frieza paused for effect, watching as Bulma's eyes widened. "I have heard that he wants to overthrow me and put himself on the throne in my place. I have heard that he is planning on doing this by using Raven's DNA and his own to create a cloned army, whose Saiyan power would rival the power of my elites."

"_What_?" Bulma practically screeched. "That's utter nonsense! Not only is Vegeta not smart enough to have worked out such a scientific plan, but I would put a stop to any attempt to use my daughters DNA in cloning!"

"I hope so." Frieza backed Bulma into the wall. "Because if I have any cause to believe that Vegeta may be plotting to destroy me, I will kill both you and your daughter." Frieza leaned closer and flicked his tongue out, tasting Bulma's fear. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Y…yes, Lord Frieza, perfectly clear." Bulma tried to duck under his arm and leave, but Frieza grabbed her and forced her back against the wall.

"Leaving so soon? I thought you and I could have a little fun." Frieza's eyes roamed over her. "I must admit, I am curious to see what it is about you that had two of the strongest fighters in the universe at each others throats." Frieza cupped her face with a hand and Bulma squeaked in fear.

"I must go, my Lord…I have left Raven by herself. I must get back." Bulma pulled away and this time Frieza allowed her to go.

"Remember what I said, Bulma." Frieza's voice followed her long after she had left his throne room.

**~*~**

**A/N – Poor Bulma.**** I can't help but feel sorry for her. Oh well ^_^ Please review!**


	19. Sleep Of Death

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Sorry these chapters are taking so long to get out! I know I usually update faster and I'm sorry for the wait, it's just that I've been busy with university arrangements. Yeah that's right – I'm off the learn how to be a teacher…and an English & Drama teacher of all things…I mean can you imagine me as a teacher?**

**Anyhow we're drawing close to the finish with this fic; everything is really going to fall apart in this chapter…**

Chapter 18: 'Sleep Of Death'

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**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ To sleep! Perchance to dream: - ay, there's the rub ~*~_**

**_~*~ For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, ~*~_**

**_~*~ When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, ~*~_**

****

_- Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

The planet Taurine was a barren wasteland that bore only faint traces of the previous inhabitants.

There were no forests, only broken stumps.

There were no cities, only craters filled with jagged metal and debris.

There were no people, only decaying bodies that reeked of death.

Amongst the destruction of what had clearly been a beautiful and fragile planet, four beings stood on a jagged cliff overlooking what as left of a city, casting dark shadows into the distance as they stared down at the still smoking rubble.

"This planet was defenceless." Goku's voice seemed loud as it echoed into the silence inevitably follows death. "Why did Frieza send us to a planet that was filled with weak defenceless being and tell us that it would be a struggle for us to take it over?"

"Maybe there's something here that we haven't seen yet." Nappa's boomed out in a desperate effort to break the depressing silence.

"Or maybe he just wanted to distract us." Vegeta spoke emotionlessly, but his eyes as they clashed with Goku's were worried. The usual cold detachment that was usually visible in them had been burn away by fear.

"Bulma is alive." Goku answered Vegeta's unasked question with a soothing voice. "I doubt I'd be alive is she weren't. Besides I can still feel her in my head." He looked away from his comrade uneasily. 

Vegeta watched Goku through narrowed eyes. "What aren't you telling us?" He stalked forward and grabbed the larger saiyan by his armour. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing, I just want to get back as soon as possible. Something about this whole situation is making me uneasy." Goku ran a hand through his hair, unable to shake the feeling in the pit of stomach that something was wrong with Bulma.

He hadn't felt this sick with gut wrenching fear since he had purged his first planet. And they weren't memories he wished to re-live. The screaming of women ad children, the scent of fear and worst of all the knowledge that he was responsible for everything that was happening around them.

It was just as hard these days to purge planets. While the others got excited at the prospect of killing, Goku felt sick to his stomach. He still woke up sometimes at night, imagining he could hear the screams of people dying…

_And yet he'd killed Turles, his own brother, with no problem._

Goku jerked at the thought hit him, and he knew with unshakable faith that Bulma had just thought the exact same thing. He had to get back to her, the longer he was away from her the more isolated she was going to become.

"We'll leave straight away." Vegeta had been watching the emotions play across Goku's face and although he couldn't figure out just what Goku was thinking Vegeta did know that it had him spooked.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Nappa growled threateningly, sensing that there was something going on that only Vegeta and Goku knew about. 

"Should we tell them?" Goku tossed a look at Vegeta over his shoulder as he began to make his way back to the pods. "I mean, they do have a right to know, don't they?"

"Know what?" Raditz glared at his brothers back. "Prince Vegeta, what is he talking about?"

Vegeta looked at Goku's back with an eyebrow raised and his mouth twisted in annoyance. "I had informed Nappa, but I'm going to have to tell Raditz now." He sarcastically threw his comment after Goku who shrugged and kept walking, occasionally kicking a stone out of his path.

"Vegeta?" Raditz prompted unsurely. "What's going on?"

Vegeta looked away from Goku's retreating back with annoyance sparking in his eyes. "Kakarot and I have managed to achieve the legendary." Vegeta couldn't keep a note of pride out of his voice and his annoyance evaporated as he saw Nappa and Raditz's eyes widen in disbelief, even though Nappa already knew. "Both of us are now able to transform into super saiyans at will."

Raditz opened his mouth ask something, but was interrupted by a sudden yell from Goku who clutched at his head for a second and then bolted to his capsule.

"We have to leave! Now!" There was something in his voice that hadn't been there before, an almost hysterical note had crept in and a shiver worked its way down Vegeta's spine.

Something had happened to Bulma…

**~*~**

"Let me go!" Bulma struggled wildly in Zarbon's grip, her legs thrashing as he lifted her into the air and carried her out of her room. Behind him, Dodoria's replacement; Quaker, was carrying Raven who was bawling loudly, her tiny fists waving in the air at her rude awakening.

"Miss Briefs, I would suggest you settle down. You're not going to be hurt; Frieza merely has decided to transport you to a more secure location. He will be joining us of course and _inviting_ your 'friends' to come along too. You of course, will be kept out of sight of your mate and his comrades until Frieza has interrogated them. Your own mate is suspected in playing a crucial part in Vegeta's plans.

"What plans?" Bulma stopped struggling, afraid f what measures Zarbon might take if she failed to obey him. There was a strange gleam in his eye which made Bulma suspect that Zarbon liked nothing better then to hurt others.

"Oh, master Frieza has not yet informed me of what Vegeta's plans are, but he does intend to share them with you. Just in case you lied to him the last time you spoke." Zarbon's boots made clunking sounds as he walked down the corridor which led away form her room.

Bulma stayed silent, despite the questions burning in her mind. Zarbon carried her all the way to the transport lift, which was open and waiting for them. Inside he pressed a button which chilled Bulma to the bone. It was the button marked 'D' which stood for 'Docking Bay.'

Frieza wasn't just moving her out of her room. He was moving her off the entire station! Bulma closed her eyes and opened her bond to Goku. Across the space between them she reached out and just managed to touch his mind.

_[Goku! Goku, you have to get back! It's Frieza! He's taking Raven and I away! He's hiding us! Goku please!]_

_[Bulma? Where is he taking...?]_

Bulma was jerked out of her trance and her mind was torn away from Goku's as Zarbon growled and shook her. "What was that?"

Bulma stared at him and swallowed. "What was what?"

"I felt something, something telepathic!" Zarbon looked at her with contempt. "But no, it can't have been you. Human beings don't have telepathic abilities, are medical tests on you proved that." Zarbon's yellow eyes flashed across to Raven. "Of course! It must be the child!" Zarbon threw Bulma unceremoniously to the ground. "Give me the child." Zarbon held out his arms to Quaker, who handed over Raven without a word.

"No!" Bulma leapt up and hurled herself at Zarbon; catching him off guard she used her shoulder to ram him into the wall of the lift. She snatched Raven out of his arms and backed into the far corner of the lift.

Zarbon pushed away from the wall and began to raise him power level. His aura flashed a cold blue and a wind generated by it blew her hair wildly.

"I'm going to rip you to shreds for that!" Zarbon took a step towards her, his eyes burning with rage when the lift ground to a halt and the door slid open to reveal Frieza. Immediately Zarbon's aura faded and he stepped back from Bulma.

Frieza's glowing red eyes took in Zarbon's enraged state and Bulma's trembling. His eyes lowered to look at Raven who had stopped howling and was now glaring at Zarbon, her tiny tail lashing about like a kittens and her eyes narrowed.

"Zarbon?" Frieza stepped back from the lift and motioned for all of them to exit the lift. His tone questioning as he continued to speak. "Did I instruct you to kill or main the girl of her child?" His eyes gleamed dangerously as Zarbon paled and shook his head.

"No master Frieza, but you see…"

"Oh, but I did see." Frieza looked across at Bulma. "I am not so blind that I cannot read power levels and track what they are doing. I know that the woman struck you and took her child away from you. I assume she had a good reason." Frieza glared at Zarbon and his tail flicked one or twice, indicating his annoyance. "I must add that I am surprised that a mere human woman could knock you aside so easily."

"I…She took me by surprise, sire." Zarbon knelt, trying to make up for his lack of control in the lift.

"Don't worry Zarbon." Frieza chuckled. "I won't kill you just yet. I'm going to need you around when those other monkeys get back." Frieza looked at Bulma and stepped towards her, prying Raven out of her arms and holding the child out in front of him as though it had germs. "If what Nappa told me is true then we're going to have one hell of a fight on our hands when they return. And I for one and looking forward to the challenge." Frieza laughed again and handed Raven back to Bulma. "Please my dear, follow me. We're going on a tiny little trip to my home planet, and then we're going to wait for Vegeta and the others. If they try anything, then I'm afraid I will have to hurt you, but I must trust that they'll be smart enough not to do anything rash."

With that Frieza strode across the cavernous docking bay were his troops had assembled in straight ordered lines. They saluted him as he strode up the ramp to his ship then followed him on.

In the confusion Bulma only had time to hug Raven to her and blindly allow herself to be led deep into the belly of the ship. Took scared to risk opened her bond again while Zarbon was around.

**~*~**

**A/N – This isn't good is it? It appears as though Nappa has been a bad little boy and has ratted on his Prince. Well you'll just have to wait until the next chapter to find out what happens! Please Review! The more reviews I get the faster I update!**


	20. Despised Love

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – I'm trying to write faster! Honestly I am! This chapter is going to be short, but important.**

Chapter 19: 'Despised Love'

****

**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, ~*~_**

**_~*~ The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, ~*~_**

**_~*~ The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, ~*~_**

**_~*~ The insolence of office, and the spurns ~*~_**

**_~*~ That patient merit of the unworthy takes, ~*~_**

_- Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

Frieza watched Bulma through glowing red eyes. His tail flicked back and forth as he watched the small blue haired woman gently rock her child, making soft soothing noises in the back of her throat.

"Does it bother Goku that Raven is not his child?" Frieza asked politely, resting his chin on his hand and looking expectantly at Bulma. When she pointedly ignored him Frieza repeated his questions, this time his tone demanding to be answered.

"No, Goku doesn't care." Bulma murmured gently, risking a quick glance at Frieza who was watching her with the intensity of a scientist studying a laboratory rat.

"Do you think that Raven will care, when she grows up that is? Do you think that when she finds out that her uncle killed her father and married her mother, she will still look upon Goku as a father?" Frieza looked around the bridge of his ship as he spoke. It had been two days since they had departed from the space station and already Frieza was feeling the usual sense of boredom that he always felt whist he was travelling through space. Talking to the women, scaring her, was one of the few ways to distract himself.

"When I tell Raven what happened, I'll tell her the truth about _everything_ and I'll let her decide what to believe." Bulma's voice shook slightly as she smoothed back some of Ravens unruly hair. "I have to hope that Goku's love will be enough for her."

Frieza tilted his head slightly. "Doesn't it annoy you that you're ruled by your emotions? If I were to find out that my father had been killed by uncle, merely to marry my mother I would be angry. I would avenge my father and kill my uncle. The fact that I grew up with him would not matter." Frieza shifted his weight on his steel grey throne and continued talking in a menacing voice. "Emotions are for the weak and your daughter is not weak. She would make a fine warrior if she could suppress her emotions."

"She's just a little girl." Bulma hugged Raven protectively to her chest; not liking the direction of Frieza's little talk. "And emotions are not for the weak. Emotions are what keep us going." Bulma's bright blue eyes clashed with Frieza's blood red ones and she shivered with fear. "Whata are you going to do with us on your planet?" Bulma's voice cracked and she looked away, not wanting to see that diabolic light in Frieza's eyes.

"I'm going to use you for bait." Frieza chuckled. "I'm going to use the two of you to split up Vegeta and Goku." He stood up and began to pace the room as he spoke, his tail swinging behind him. "I'm going to put you in danger so that Goku comes to your rescue while Vegeta and I can have out little fight. No doubt Nappa was a little over enthusiastic about his prince's new strength – I have no doubt that I will defeat Vegeta." Frieza grinned contentedly to himself, his smooth drawl indicating his belief in his superiority. 

"What are you going to do with Goku?" Bulma tried to shrink into her chair as Frieza began to walk over to her. "Are you going to kill him?"

"Oh no, I have plans for Goku." Frieza chuckled sadistically. "If I wanted to kill your big strong mate I would just kill _you." Frieza chuckled at her look. "No, I plan on using Goku's strength to my advantage. You see according to Nappa, Vegeta is far stronger then Goku and that means that once Vegeta is out of the way, I should be able to talk Goku around to seeing things __my way."_

"What…what do you mean?" Bulma's voice shook and she tried to breathe normally as Frieza reached her chair and crouched down until he was at eye level with her.

"I want your mate to work _with me. You see because he's weaker then Vegeta, I shall be able to control him. And if he does try to defy me, I shall simply threaten him with your death." Frieza lent close and Bulma pulled back as far as she could go. "You are Goku's weakness, my dear. And I intend to exploit you…"_

**~*~**

Goku was frantic. He could sense that Bulma was no longer on the space station and it was scaring the hell out of him. Every time he tried to open the bond between them Bulma would shy away and give him a mental impression that it was dangerous for him to try to contact her.

            He had arrived back at the space station an hour ago and since then he had looked for any clues as to where Frieza would have taken Bulma and Raven. His room had been a mess as though a struggle had gone on, and with every minute that Goku searched and found nothing the future seemed to look bleaker.

            He couldn't lose Bulma! He couldn't! Not after everything that had happened to him already. He'd lost his wife, his son and every single one of his friends except for Bulma. She was everything to him, she was his whole world.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta's voice rang out and Goku turned around to see that Vegeta had finally landed at the space station. The saiyan prince standing in the doorway, tense with worry. "Where's Raven? Where's the woman?"

            "I don't know." Goku took a deep calming breath and willed his voice to sound normal. "I've looked everywhere for a sign of where she might be, but there's nothing." Goku's voice cracked on the last word and he soundlessly dropped into a chair as a feeling of pure panic shocked through him.

            He knew it was Bulma's emotions he was feeling, he could feel that she was afraid of something…afraid for Raven and afraid for him…Goku tried to centre his thoughts on Bulma to try to make contact but once again Bulma's mind shrank away from him.

            It was almost as if she didn't know that she was broadcasting her emotions to him, and maybe she didn't. Maybe she was so frightened that she had no control over how loud her mental screams were.

            "Kakarot! Listen to me!" Vegeta's voice snapped him back to reality and Goku realised that he had been clutching as his head and was bent over in the chair. "You have to stay focused!" Vegeta's voice was urgent and Goku nodded as he tried to block out Bulma's fear.

            "I'm sorry, but…but I can feel her in my head." Goku focused on Vegeta and swallowed. "I can't block her out."

            Vegeta looked at him almost sympathetically. "We're going to get her back. I promise you that we're going to get her back! There is one way we can find out where Frieza has taken her." 

            Goku leapt to his feet, his eyes wide and his voice shaking. "How? I have to find her Vegeta. She's so afraid…"

            "Kakarot! Get a hold of yourself." Vegeta snapped at him. "All you have to do is ask Bulma where he's taking her." He glared at Goku, unable to comprehend why he looked so downcast at his suggestion. "Kakarot? What's wrong?"

            "She won't do it. She doesn't want to communicate with me telepathically for some reason…" Vegeta cut Goku off mid sentence with a silencing gesture.

            "Just do it!" Vegeta roared. "I'm not going to lose my future mate because you're too afraid to ask your mate where Frieza is taking her!"

Goku stared at Vegeta with wide eyes. "And what if asking her to do this simple thing gets her killed?" Goku realised he was shaking and he closed his eyes with a sigh. "I'll ask her Vegeta, but if Bulma dies I'm going to kill you before I go mad." He ran a hand through his unruly hair and focused on the dim spark of Bulma which dwelt in the back of his head.

_[Bulma? I know you can't speak to me, but Vegeta and I need to know where Frieza is taking you…]_

**~*~**

Bulma heard Goku's voice float through the back of her head and she held Raven close to her. Dare she answer him? Frieza was still watching her through those cold eyes of his…studying her. Bulma closed her eyes and buried her face in her daughter and prayed that Zarbon wouldn't feel her communicating with Frieza.

She hadn't seen hide or hair of the blue skinned man since they had dragged her on board the ship, and while it was comforting not to have his presence around, Bulma couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.

_[He's taking us to planet Frost.] _

Bulma's psychic voice was a bare whisper, but she knew Goku would hear her, and maybe – _just maybe_, he would be able to rescue her in time. She pulled her face away form her sleeping daughter and sent one more psychic wave at Goku, lining it with urgency and a red flash of worry.

_[**Be careful!]**_

**~*~**

**A/N – Okay, as always I'm begging you all to review, but more importantly I need you to pay attention to what I'm going to say next.**

**I'm moving to Brisbane this Saturday, and that means that I'm not going to have a computer for at least a week. Please be patient in regards to the next chapter coming out. Thanks!**


	21. From Heaven To Earth

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own.**

**A/N – Well…this is going to be the second last chapter! All the action reeeeaally comes to a head in this chapter so pay attention! ^_^ Thanks to everyone who had read this fic so far – you all make writing this a pleasure!**

Chapter 20: 'From Heaven To Earth'

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**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ His means of death, his obscure funeral, ~*~_**

**_~*~ No trophy, sword nor hatchment o'er his bones, ~*~_**

**_~*~ No noble rite, nor form ostentation, ~*~_**

**_~*~ Cry to be heard, as t'were from heaven to earth, ~*~_**

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_- Laerties from 'Hamlet'_

**_~*~_**

****

****

It had been hours since she had last spoken to Goku. Hours since she had told him where Frieza was taking her and since that moment she hadn't heard a peep from him. Either he had realised that speaking telepathically to her was dangerous or something had happened to him.

Bulma swallowed as horrible thoughts plagued her mind. What if Goku had decided that he didn't want her anymore? What if he was going to let her die? Bulma pulled her daughter close to her and stifled a soft sob.

Frieza's head jerked up and he smirked as he read the fear in her eyes. "Don't worry little human, soon the waiting will be over and the real fun will begin." His voice crackled with laughter and Bulma swallowed the spurt of humiliation and rage with crawled along her skin.

"You're going to pay for _all_ of this Frieza." Bulma spat at him, her blue eyes icy. "You might think that Vegeta and Goku are weak but I know the truth about them! I know my mate is stronger then you!" Bulma ground her teeth and willed herself not to do anything rash.

Frieza's eyes glowed and he tossed back his head and howled in demonic laughter. "I see why Turles liked you so much, you have that wild reckless spirit that he liked in his lovers."

"Shut up." Bulma's eyes flashed and Frieza chuckled again. "Don't you dare speak his name to me!"

"Do you know how Turles came to possess the knowledge about the Tree of Might ad the fruit it would grow?" Frieza asked casually, ignoring Bulma's look of indignation. "I told him. I was the one who gave him the seed and told him that Earth would be a fruitful planet to grow it. I knew that Goku came from Earth and I was curious to see how the destruction of his planet would affect him. He'd always held back in battle and I was hoping a little bit of grief would push him over the edge. Imagine my surprise when Turles turned up with _you_ at his side. I couldn't have been more pleased! I knew Goku would kill Turles and claim you as his own – I knew that everything that has happened would happen." Frieza's voice dripped with pure evil and Bulma began to hyperventilate as anger coursed through her, blinding her sight and driving everything but her hatred of this man out of her mind.

"I'm going to kill you for that." Bulma's voice was deceptively quiet and she focused again on Frieza's face with determination. "One day, you're going to die and mark my words Frieza – I'll be the one behind it."

"Not if you're dead." Frieza began to laugh again.

~*~

A cold sweat broke over Goku's skin and a feeling of impending doom began to grow in his stomach. He could feel Bulma's rage in his head like a hammer; she was screaming and raging and mentally fighting against something so terrible it was close to pushing her over the edge.

_[Bulma? What's wrong?] _Goku sent his thought to her quietly; not knowing wether or not it was safe for her to talk. Bulma's answer came to him in a confusing jumble of thoughts and images.

Images of Turles destroying Earth, images of she and Turles together and a feeling of regret and hate so strong for a moment Goku thought that her feelings were aimed at him. Then Bulma showed him an image of Frieza and her hate multiplied.

_[He sent Turles to Earth! It was Frieza who destroyed our home!]_ Bulma's mind was hissing and spitting with a blind anger but under it Goku could sense her panic and knew that this was the reason for his feeling of unease.

He sent a tendril of questioning thought at her, unprepared when she drew away from him and refused to let him see what was frightening her. He could still hear her in is head but it was a muted sound now, as though Bulma was making a concentrated effort to hide her thoughts.

"Kakarot? What's wrong with you?" Vegeta sharp questioning tone jerked Goku back to his body and he focused burry eyes on Vegeta's face as it hovered in front of him.

"It's Bulma…she said that it was Frieza who sent Turles to Earth." Goku blinked several times to restore his sight and sat up straighter. "She didn't say why and she drew away when I tried to ask her." Goku heard the frightened tone in his own voice and fought the urge to curl up into a ball and cry. "There's something going on here Vegeta, something bigger then you or I realise and I have a feeling that Frieza is the one behind it all."

"I have a feeling your right Kakarot." Vegeta agreed and sat down beside him, his dark saiyan eyes focused on the fight he knew was to come. "But I swear to you that no matter what this day deals us, we will be the victors."

"I hope your right, Vegeta." Goku stared ahead of him, wincing as Bulma's mental voice began to radiate panic. "I hope your right."

**~*~**

Zarbon was staring at her with those poisonous yellow eyes of his. Suspicion was making them seem to almost glow as he whispered something n Frieza's ear. Frieza blinked in apparent surprise then also fixed his gaze on Bulma; although his eyes were more calm then Zarbon's.

"Well, well. It seems that the saiyans will be arriving sooner then we first expected." Zarbon stepped back form his master and threw Bulma an annoyed look. "Yes, it seems that somehow they found out where we were heading. I wonder how that happened?" Frieza stood up and wandered over to Bulma, his voice low and dangerous.

"I…I have no idea." Bulma whispered and kept her face directed downward, not daring to look up at Frieza's face as he circled her like a shark.

"Really?" Frieza sounded mocking. "Zarbon here tells me that he thinks that Raven is communicating with the saiyans and passing along information. I, however, know better then to think that a baby could be intelligent enough to do that. I also know that when a saiyan takes a bond mate, the bond mate gains some of the saiyans powers. Could it be that _you_ have been talking to Goku and telling him where we are going?" Frieza crouched at her level and met her eyes.

Bulma kept her mouth shut but the panic inside of her was so strong that she knew without doubt that Goku would also be feeling it. She gently stroked Ravens forehead and kissed her cheek, ignoring Frieza while he waited for her answer.

"I suggest you answer me, girl. I would hate to have to separate you from your child." Frieza threatened, his clawed hand moving as if to snatch Raven from her.

"No!" Bulma gasped and clutched at Raven so tightly the child awoke with a shriek. "I admit that I told Goku that you had me…but I didn't tell him where we were going, I was too afraid that Zarbon would hear me talking mentally and alert you." Bulma lied easily, panic causing the words to come to her lips more easily then they ought to have.

Frieza smirked and stood up. "See Zarbon? I told you that it wasn't the child doing the talking." He laughed and ruffled Bulma's hair as though she were a pet. "Vegeta isn't stupid. He probably worked out for himself where we were going." Frieza chuckled as though even the thought of Vegeta was amusing to him.

The door to the room whirred open and a guard rushed in, shaking ad trembling as he bowed to Frieza and announced that they had successfully landed on planet Frost. Bulma had to restrain herself from screaming at this bit of news.

When had they landed? She hadn't felt them land…how could they possibly have reached Frieza's icy planet already without her knowing?

"Excellent." Frieza waved the guard away and held out a hand to Bulma. "Shall we, my dear? We have much to do before the saiyans arrive and not much time to do it in." Frieza sounded normal, as though he was discussing dinner plans instead of Vegeta's impending death and Goku's capture.

Bulma ignored the outstretched hand of Frieza and stood on her own accord. Defiance in every line of her body as she held a bawling Raven to her chest and looked into Frieza's eyes. 

"Your going to die today Frieza, and when you do you're not going to get a proper burial nor shall anyone mourn your passing. Once you are gone it shall be as if you never were." Bulma spoke each word as though reciting an ancient passage in an ancient text. "You'll be less then a memory." She hissed the final sentence with a pure undiluted hate.

Frieza considered her for a heartbeat then, in a movement too fast for Bulma to see, he snatched Raven out of her hands and held the child close to him. Ignoring the baby's frantic wails.

"No one can defeat me, child. I'll live on and on and when I do die everyone will remember me as the man who destroyed the saiyan race and enslaved the galaxy." Frieza nodded at Zarbon who grabbed Bulma by the hair and began to march her forward to meet her destiny.

**~*~**

**A/N – Eh…what's going to happen? Well the only way to find out is to wait for the next chapter, which contains the _thrilling _conclusion to this story! (I always wanted to type that!) **

**Please review – that alllllways helps me write faster!**


	22. The Great Below

**DISCLAIMER: DBZ I do not own nor Hamlet either…does that make sense?**

**A/N – The end is finally here…I can't say much because I'll end up giving something away. All I can say is that I almost cried while I was writing this.**

**LYRICS:  'The Great Below' By Nine Inch Nails**

Chapter 21: 'My Story'

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**_~*~ _**

**_~*~ If though didst ever hold me in thy heart, ~*~_**

**_~*~ Absent thee from felicity a while, ~*~_**

**_~*~ And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, ~*~_**

**_~*~ To tell my story. ~*~_**

****

**_- Hamlet from 'Hamlet'_**

**_~*~_**

****

****

"Please don't hurt my baby!" Bulma screamed in panic and Zarbon marched her along a cold and frigid hallway. One of his hands was twisted into her hair and the other hand was holding one of her arms behind her back at a painful angle. Frieza was strolling ahead of them carrying Raven who was wailing louder and louder, her small arms and legs waving frantically.

"Don't hurt Raven! Oh God, don't hurt her!" Bulma sobbed in terror as Frieza jiggled Raven and the baby began to shriek even harder. She lunged forward in a desperate attempt to get her baby back but Zarbon hauled her back. She struggled ferociously against his hold and Zarbon twisted her arm cruelly, breaking the bone with ease. The brittle snapping sound and the red daggers pain of pain that shot up her arm were enough to make Bulma howl in pain and all but collapse against Zarbon. 

Ahead of them Frieza had entered a strange looking control room. He waited patiently while Zarbon dragged Bulma in with a smirk of pleasure at her pain. There were two doors that led off into others rooms, one of which was visible from the cold room through a large sheet of what looked like glass.

"This is an air tight room." Zarbon nodded at the room that was behind the glass. "I'm going to lock you in there and set off the sprinkler system, can you guess what's going to happen to you?" Frieza looked at her intently, his voice mocking.

"No…you wouldn't!" Bulma hung in Zarbon's grasp, hugging her mangled arm to her chest protectively. 

"Yes, I would." Frieza grinned in sadistic pleasure. "It will take approximately five hours for the room to fill with water and you to die." Frieza snarled. "Unless of course your mate manages to find you in time." Frieza spoke as though he didn't consider Goku rescuing her as a very likely possibility at all.

"Goku…Goku _will_ rescue me!" Bulma's breath was rasping in and out of her throat and her voice was desperate. "You don't have to put me in their…please don't! Please!" She tried to go to Frieza but Zarbon grabbed hold of her shoulder and squeezed until Bulma thought it would burst apart.

"But what fun would that be? No, I have a much better plan. You're going to call to Goku and tell him that your at the 'Frost Laboratories', then you're going to ask him to rescue you and _then_ your going to tell him to tell Vegeta that I have Raven over in the Palace and that unless Vegeta shows up I'm going to kill her." Frieza yawned as if bored when Bulma shook her head vehemently.

"No! I wont do that! If you're going to kill me then do it! But I won't get Vegeta killed." Bulma ground out through teeth clenched in pain.

"You won't, eh?" Frieza shrugged. "What if I was to tell you that unless you do this for me I'm going to lock Raven in this room and let you watch her drown instead – how does that sound?" Frieza was practically yelling now, his eyes were burning with anger at her defiance.

"No!" Bulma sobbed and hugged her arm more tightly; she collapsed on the ground and began to sob. "I'll do it! Just don't hurt my daughter…don't hurt my little girl." Bulma closed her eyes tightly and opened a mind link with Goku…

**~*~**

**Staring at the sea**

**Will she come?**

**~*~**

_[Goku? Goku!]_

Bulma's scream ripped through his head and Goku roared in pain as he collapsed to the ground clutching at his head, his temples throbbing with the pain her mental scream had caused.

_[Goku they're going to kill me! Frieza's going to drown me!]_

He could hear Bulma sobbing and he reached forward through the bond trying to calm her down. He could feel Bulma's mind open to him and with a crash he plunged into her mind and instantly began to scream with her as he was torn from his body and sucked into hers.

His arm was broken! He was crouched on the floor and above him was Zarbon, smirking as he looked down at him! Goku tried to move, tried to get up and defend himself but he couldn't even lift a finger.

[You're seeing through my eyes Goku! Don't try to move…just listen to what I have to say!]

There was a desperate urgency to Bulma's tone that made him cease his struggles and lay still in her mind. It was hard to listen to what she said, her was body was going into shock and her mind was close behind it.

_[Bulma…]_

[Goku listen! I'm at the Frost Laboratories and you have to come and save me! They're going to put me and room and fill it with water and unless you can get to me before five hours is up I'm going to drown!]

_[Don't worry Bulma! Vegeta and I will rescue you!]_

_[No! Frieza s going to take Raven to his Palace and unless Vegeta shows up there he's going to kill Raven! He's going to split you up and try and kill Vegeta! Then he's going to try and enslave you Goku…unless…unless I die and you die with me! Oh Goku help! Help!]_

Through her eyes Goku watched as Frieza walked forward and grasped Bulma by the front of her shirt, he picked her effortlessly off the ground and began to drag her towards an ominous metal door.

_[Bulma!]_

Goku tried to hang onto her mind but Bulma's panic and fear was overwhelming him and pushing him back. With a last mental scream Goku was thrust from her mind and body and he tumbled back into his own. All the time her screams were echoing in his ears, getting louder and louder until Goku realised that it was _him_ who was screaming. He could barely feel Bulma anymore and with a start he opened his eyes and focused on Vegeta who was crouched above him, his mouth was moving and forming words that Goku couldn't hear. Very slowly he got himself under control and he stopped screaming. He lay on the flor where he had dropped earlier and curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth and trying to block out that last horrible scream he had heard from Bulma.

"Kakarot? What's going on?" Vegeta looked wild with panic. His hair was messy and he looked frightened, worried and very un-Vegeta like

"Bulma…" Goku tried to talk he couldn't seem to speak. He tried again, this time with more success. "I have five hours to get to Bulma or Frieza is going to drown her. She's in the 'Frost Laboratories' wherever that is."

"The labs are right by the landing fields…once we land you and I can…"

"No!" Goku shouted, interrupting Vegeta. "Frieza is holding Raven hostage at his palace. Unless you show up there and fight him he's going to kill her. I have to rescue Bulma alone…and you have to fight Frieza alone." Goku's head dropped back to the floor and he contained the tears that stung his eyes.

"If that is what Frieza wishes us to do, then we have no choice but to do it. I have faith in you Kakarot. You will rescue Bulma and I will kill Frieza and get Raven back to you and Bulma." Vegeta nodded as he spoke but didn't sound convinced. "Yes, we'll be alright."

**~*~**

**Is there hope for me**

**After all is said and done?**

**~*~**

Bulma sat shaking in the corner of the room, staring at the one-way mirror that on the other side had looked like glass. She'd never felt as alone as she did now, knowing that her child was with that monster and that Goku and Vegeta were still a long way off.

"Are you ready my dear?" Frieza's voice crackled menacingly through some unseen speaker and Bulma slowly blinked and focused on the mirror. She felt a tear slide slowly down the curve of her cheek and follow the contours of her face until it slipped between her lips and she was able to taste the bitterness of her tear. 

"You're going to pay for this Frieza." Bulma spoke with unwavering determination not to loose control of herself again. Her eyes, although blurry with tears, were as hard and cold as rock – and just as unyielding.

There was a pause and then Frieza's voice echoed eerily in the room again through the speaker. "As you say."

There was silence following his words and then the ceiling above her beeped twice and the air was suddenly full of a light drizzle. It coated Bulma in tiny droplets of water and covered the room in an instant layer of dampness. She looked down at the floor, watching as the tiny droplets began to melt together until there was a thin film of water completely covering the floor. Although she knew she should be feeling frightened, Bulma felt surprising calm inside.

"You really should be more frightened." Frieza's voice sounded again and Bulma looked back at the one-way mirror, a small bitter smile slipping onto her mouth as she wondered if he'd been reading her mind.

"I have hope." Bulma whispered brokenly and glanced away from the mirror, not wishing to speak to the monster outside any longer.  "I have hope." She repeated softly.

**~*~**

**Anything at any price**

**All of this for you**

**~*~**

The water rose much faster then Bulma had imagined it would. Within an of hour of being forced into the cold steel room the water was at knee height and it was impossible for Bulma to sit on the floor. She leant against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself. She was so cold and numb that she couldn't even feel her injured hand. Her body was racked with fine tremors as the icy mist continued to rain down around her.

The water which was steadily rising was co cold Bulma knew that even if Goku got here before the water reached the roof she'd be dead from the cold before he could get her out of the room. Bulma closed her eyes and sobbed in terror at the thought of dying. It couldn't be her fate to die after everything she'd been through. She'd never been cruel or mean in her entire life, so why was she being punished this way? Was it because she'd allowed herself to love Goku after he'd taken Turles from her? Was this her punishment for loving Goku? Bulma opened her eyes again and took a deep breath; if this _was_ her punishment for loving Goku then she'd willingly suffer it.

No matter what Goku had done to her, Bulma couldn't imagine not having him in her mind. Even the thought of losing him was enough to make Bulma cry aloud in terror. She'd lost Turles and lived through the pain thanks to Goku, but she'd never survive that kind of loss again.

_Turles_.

Bulma smiled despite the physical pain as she thought of the first man who she had ever truly loved. She still missed him more then she let on. Every time she looked at Raven she could remember that proud look in Turles' eyes when he looked at his daughter.

A tear trailed down Bulma's cheek as the familiar hollow pain in her chest made itself felt. Whenever she thought about Turles her mind would reach for his essence in her head and would find only Goku, and no matter how much she had come to love Goku he would never be to her what Turles had been.

**~*~**

**All the spoils of a wasted life**

**All of this for you**

**~*~**

"Kakarot?" 

Vegeta's voice interrupted Goku's thoughts and the taller saiyan raised his head from where it had been resting in his hands. He could feel a myriad of emotions flowing from Bulma through the bond, but try as he might he couldn't fight his way into her mind to comfort her.

She must feel so alone… 

Goku watched as Vegeta walked into the room where he had hidden himself away. The saiyan prince looked as vibrant as ever, no doubt the thought of engaging in battle with Frieza was keeping him sane. But then, Goku thought, Vegeta didn't have a mate who was radiating hurt and pain.

"What is it?" He asked quietly, keeping his eyes guarded; unsure wether Vegeta had come baring good news or bad news.

"We're within visual range of the planet Frost. We should be setting down within two hours." Vegeta seemed pleased and Goku made a concentrated effort to stand up again. For some reason his legs felt numb with cold and he had a nagging feeling that this feeling of numbness was yet another diluted feeling that he was picking up from Bulma.

"How long has it been since Bulma gave us the five hour deadline?" Goku asked gruffly, rubbing at his arm as though he could also feel the pain of Bulma's broken arm – which at times, he could. 

"It's been a little over an hour. Don't worry, we're going to land in plenty of time for you to save Bulma and for me to defeat that scum bag." Vegeta growled angrily at the mere thought of Frieza and punched a hand into his paml for emphasis. Amazingly this action prompted a grin from Goku.

"I'm almost jealous." The larger saiyan admitted. "You get to take on Frieza all by yourself – it's going to be a once in a lifetime event."

"I know, believe me. I've been dreaming of the day that I could destroy Frieza ever since I was a small boy." Vegeta smirked. "Make no mistake Kakarot, the destruction of our home planet and the death of our race will not go unpunished. I will make Frieza beg for mercy before I finish him off."

While once Goku would have urged Vegeta to give Frieza a second chance there was a coldness inside of him that had eaten away at the decently and fairness that had once been so important to him. It was the same frosty coldness that he had felt when he had killed Dodoria and when he had killed Turles. 

Goku smiled grimly and the emptiness began to spread inside of him. 

**~*~**

**All the world has closed her eyes**

**Tired faith all worn and thin**

**~*~**

Frieza rocked the tiny baby in his arms; fully aware of the very strange looks he was getting from the other officers in the Palace's throne room. Raven had fallen asleep in his arms but was squirming in her sleep as though she was having a nightmare.

"What is wrong with this child?" Vegeta asked Zarbon in annoyance as Raven chirped in her sleep and her tail, which was wrapped securely round her waist, fuzzed up.

"I have no idea Master Frieza, perhaps it would be easier to simply destroy the child now?" Zarbon drawled in disdain, his lip curling in disgust as he glared at the tiny saiyan child. He couldn't understand why Frieza didn't simply kill it.

"Kill it? And loose my only leverage against Vegeta? Be smart Zarbon! That would be idiotic of me! If Vegeta is as strong as he claims I may need the child as a hostage. Although it is doubtful." Frieza smirked to himself at the thought of Vegeta beating him. "Tell me Zarbon, how much longer do you think the woman will survive?" The lizard lord seated himself on his throne and continued to rock the sleeping baby, oblivious to Zarbon's distaste.

"Not long. I think she'll probably be long dead before the saiyans can get her out of the room." The green haired man lounged against Frieza's throne, watching his master with a strange sort of obsessiveness. 

Zarbon had been working with Frieza since he was a small boy. His planet had been one of the planets that Frieza had invaded and destroyed – only Zarbon had been spared the fate of his race. Over time he had come to view Frieza as a kind of father figure and anything that might replace him in Frieza's eyes as number one he viewed as a threat to be eliminated, and Raven was looking more and more like such a threat with every passing moment.

**~*~**

**For all we could have done**

**And all that could have been.**

**~*~**

Time was passing agonisingly slowly for Goku as they approached planet Frost. He could only imagine how painfully slow things must seem for Bulma. What was running through her head at this very moment? Was she thinking about him? About Raven? About Turles? Goku's lips briefly curled into a snarl as he thought of his twin brother. He still found it hard to understand why Bulma forgave him for everything that he'd done to her and to them. Turles had been a monster deep down; he hadn't felt remorse for destroying Earth for his own selfish reasons. He hadn't even felt bad about making Bulma feel bad; he'd only cared about what he wanted.

The ship jolted and shuddered around them, with his hyped up saiyan senses Goku could feel that she ship was entering an atmosphere and his head jerked up as though pulled by strings. They were there! They were finally at planet frost!

_[I'm coming Bulma! We're landing now! I'm coming]_

He didn't know if Bulma could hear his thoughts but he sent them to her anyway. He hadn't felt anything from her in quite a while. He'd even stopped feeling cold. She wasn't dead…he could still feel Bulma faintly in his mind; it was just that she didn't seem to be thinking or feeling anything. It was like she was frozen…or asleep.

Goku vaulted to his feet and jogged down the hallway towards the control room, almost running into Nappa who was heading the opposite way, a rather suspicious looking smirk on his face considering the circumstances. The burly saiyan snarled at Goku and continued past him, his heavy footfalls echoing loudly in Goku's ears long after he'd past him.

"Vegeta!" Goku all but shouted as he opened the door to the control room and bounced in as eager as a puppy. He knew he should have been worried about Bulma – and he was, it was just that the prospect of getting a chance to fight Frieza was exhilarating. A fight such as the one they were planning happened only once in ones lifetime.

"We'll have touched down within minutes Kakarot! Hold your horses!" Vegeta glared at him, but the look of excitement was present in his eyes as well. Even if he and Vegeta didn't see eyes to eye all the time they were both still saiyans and the prospect of a good fight was just as exciting to them both.

Goku sobered as something strange flickered through his mind. It was Bulma's presence and yet he couldn't seem to make sense of her thoughts. She was radiating nothing and yet her mind was so full of thoughts that he couldn't even begin to follow them. With a sick feeling in his stomach Goku steadied himself against a wall and focused on Vegeta's concerned face.

"I have to get to her soon Vegeta; I think she's dying." Goku closed his eyes and concentrated on reaching Bulma through the tangle of thoughts she had surrounded herself with.

**~*~**

**Ocean pulls me close**

**And whispers in my ear**

**~*~**

Bulma couldn't feel anything. She was conscious enough to know that she could no longer touch the floor of the room and that she was dog paddling to keep herself afloat, but she wasn't aware of much else except the freezing cold. She kept remembering things about Earth, things that shed taken for granted like coffee, trees, animals and the sky. Everyday things that she'd never once thought about now seemed so important.

The water was so cold. Bulma knew her entire body was being racked by small shivers even though she couldn't feel her limbs…but she was unable to warm herself up…and she was so tired…so very tired…if Goku didn't come soon she probably wouldn't see him again…it was so hard to keep her eyes open….

With a strangled gasp Bulma's head disappeared beneath the surface f the water…

**~*~**

Planet Frost was everything Goku had imagined it would be – barren, cold and lifeless. The entire planet was a solid sheet of ice with metal buildings gleaming in the light of the faraway sun. It was an unfriendly and inhospitable planet.

"To reach the building where I believe they're keeping Bulma you must follow this path into that building…" Vegeta gestured. "Then you must…"

"I can sense her energy! Dimly but its there!" Goku cut Vegeta off mid sentence and leapt into the air, flying straight towards the building where he could sense Bulma at breakneck speed.

Vegeta cursed. "Go with him Raditz, if he runs into any trouble he might you to help him." He shoved Raditz after his brother, the older saiyan was only too happy to oblige and hurriedly blasted off after Goku.

Vegeta turned back to look at the gleaming Palace which spiralled up into the sky directly in front of them. "Are you ready Nappa? It's time to make that tyrant pay for what he did to our people." Vegeta crouched, ready to hurry towards the palace when he sensed movement behind him.

"What are you…?" He started to turn around when a crushing blow hit the back of his neck and Vegeta fell forward into a crumpled heap with a surprised look frozen in his eyes, completely taken unawares by Nappa. The bigger saiyan picked up the prone body of his prince and proceeded to head towards the palace at a more leisurely pace.

"I'm terribly sorry, Prince vegeta." He spoke to the unconscious prince regretfully. "But Frieza was right when he said that you had become soft – allowing yourself to mingle with low class saiyans and humans. I'd rather see you die a warrior then spend your life being corrupted by the weaknesses of those around you."

**~*~**

**The destiny I've chose**

**All becoming clear**

**~*~**

Goku had never felt such a sense of urgency in his entire life. His entire body was trembling with the need to find his mate as soon as possible and to rescue her from the pain she was in. Bulma's ki was faint but still discernable amongst the other ki's that he could feel moving around the planet – swarming like hundreds of vile little insects. Her aura stood out like a glowing beacon amongst the others, and he used this to guide himself towards her.

Faced with the prospect of losing Bulma, Goku had come to several conclusions on the long trip to planet Frost. The first was that he'd always loved Bulma, even on Earth when he'd been married to Chichi he had been attracted to Bulma's fun loving spirit, not to mention her good looks. When he had been a boy he'd had a crush on her, but being so young and inexperienced he hadn't known how to show Bulma his feelings and by the time he had been old enough to know what to say to Bulma he'd met up with Chichi again and had found himself entrapped in a marriage.

Not that he hadn't loved Chichi, but Bulma had been his first love and he'd never quite been able to throw aside his affection for her. He could still remember when he'd taken off her underwear when he had been a young boy – his curiosity at what made 'girls' different to 'boys' having got the better of his at that age. The memory of Bulma's body however had stayed with him all through his life – although he'd never have admitted this to anyone.

When he'd left Earth with the saiyans he had resolved himself to never seeing his friends again, and while Chichi and Gohan had been at the forefront of his mind he had thought of Bulma several times – wondered what she was doing and how she was getting along. If he'd only known what Turles was doing he would have rescued her from him and taken her away with him.

Goku entered the building where he could feel Bulma's ki emanating from and flew down a long, winding corridor, not perturbed when he saw several Frieza-like creatures scuttling out of his way with indignant shrieks. He could feel Bulma up ahead…her ki was flickering dangerously now and Goku put on a burst of speed…

**~*~**

**The currents have their say**

**The time is drawing near**

**~*~**

Bulma felt herself sink beneath the surface of the water, this time however it seemed like far too much effort to move her limbs and swim back above the water. She was so tired - so tired that all she wanted to do was sleep. There was tightness in her chest and under her eyelids she could see colours dancing.

_Dying isn't so bad_, Bulma thought as she felt the tightness in her chest increase. She was so cold and tired that the thought of going to sleep seemed to be much more welcoming then the thought of fighting to stay awake. All she wanted was to escape this terrible chilling coldness and forget the horrible pain which had invaded every inch of her body.

Behind her eyes lids colours exploded and her mind began to scream at her to fight, to go to the surface and get air…but it was hopeless. Her body wouldn't obey her…and even if it was obeying her it seemed so much nicer to just lie here and sleep. Somehow she knew that the pain was going to stop soon…

In the room Bulma hung suspended in the liquid, her hair floated around her face making her appear like some sort of ocean goddess. A bubble of air escaped from between her blue lips, other then that there was no movement from Bulma her life slowly slipped away.

**~*~**

"Bulma, no!" Goku burst into the room as he felt her ki disappear. Inside his mind it was as if someone had pulled a plug and was allowing his Bulma to drain away, he could feel her essence flowing out of him in much the same way that it had blossomed inside of him. Only this was a much scarier feeling.

He punched the two-way mirror that allowed him to see her and a cascade of water exploded through the hole he had made. Goku easily kept his feet as the torrent swept over him and caught her body as it was pushed through the shattered remains of the window. The gush of water slowly lessened and Goku lay Bulma down on the ground. She was so cold and still and inside of his head her essence had almost totally disappeared. Goku sobbed as he pinched her mouth shut and breathed into her mouth once, twice, three times then he placed his hand above her heart and sent a faint electrical ki zap into her heart.

There was no response from Bulma so he tried again, giving her the breath of life before zapping her heart. Raditz came stumbling into the room just as Goku leant in to Bulma do repeat the process, he watched as Goku placed his mouth over Bulma's, this time just as Goku drew away Bulma's whole body jerked and she began to cough and splutter. Goku tipped her on her side and patted her back as she coughed up all the frigid water she had swallowed when she drowned.

Finally Bulma slumped onto her back, breathing hard as if she'd just run a marathon. Goku sobbed with relief as he felt Bulma came rushing back into his mind. He could feel pain radiating from her and he cautiously reached into her mind and read her thoughts. After a little while he drew out of her and hugged Bulma to him. He knew from her mind how much of a struggle it had been for her to wake up; death had seemed an easy alternative to fighting for her life – but she had had a reason to fight.

She had fought for him.

"Is she okay?" Raditz knelt down next to him and met Goku's eyes. Although they'd never been close they were still brothers and Raditz knew how close Goku ad come to losing Bulma's life and his own.

"I think she's going to be fine." Goku blinked as Vegeta's ki abruptly faded. Raditz also blinked in astonishment as they realised something bad must have happened. "You should go, Raditz…"

"No." The elder of the two brothers shook his head. "You're the super saiyan, you go and help Vegeta and I'll stay here with your woman." Raditz held to his arms and offered to take Bulma from him. "I'll take care of her." He persisted when Goku looked doubtful.

"Okay." Goku kissed Bulma's lips and said a silent prayer that they'd both survive, and then he handed her limp body to his brother and stood up. "Keep her warm and if she wakes up tell her I'm coming back." Goku took one last look at his mate before turning and forcing himself to leave her.

**~*~**

**Washes me away**

**Makes me disappear**

**~*~**

Vegeta very slowly fought his way back to reality, with astonishment he found himself being held against the wall of Frieza's throne room by glowing ki restraints.

"Good morning, Vegeta." Frieza strode cockily into view, a smirk plastered on his arrogant face as he watched Vegeta's futile struggles to free himself. "It's useless to fight the ki bands, they've effectively blocked you from raising your ki so escape is out of your reach I'm afraid." Frieza cackled as Vegeta's eyes widened as he realised two things; one that Frieza was in his final form and two, that Nappa had been the one to betray him.

"Nappa!" He exclaimed as he remembered what the bigger saiyan had done to him. "How could he have done this to me? I'm his prince!" He struggled even harder against the ki restraints, determined to break free and make Nappa pay. As he struggled the object of his current rage walked into his line of sight and Vegeta began to growl and curse like a mad creature. "Nappa you fool! You've betrayed your own people!" Vegeta strained against his bonds, panting with exertion as all his efforts got him nowhere.

"No my prince, it was you who turned your back on your people! You have disgraced your heritage by fraternizing with the earth saiyan and his mate. Not to mention that you allowed Turles, a true saiyan, to be killed by the earth saiyan! Oh no my prince, it was definitely you who betrayed us." Nappa ground his teeth. Although it irked him to see his proud prince restrained like this he knew that he had to eliminate Vegeta because of his weaknesses.

"What is this 'us' you keep claiming I've betrayed? You poor fool Nappa! Don't you realise that Frieza has twisted your mind and turned you against us?" The saiyan prince gave up fighting and merely shook his head in disappointment at the man who he had thought was his loyalist follower.

"I'm sorry my prince, I truly am." Nappa shook his oafish head before gathering his ki into a glowing ball of light in the centre of his palm. He slowly raised his hand and pointed it at Vegeta. "Goodbye my prince…"

**~*~**

**I descend from grace**

**In arms of undertow**

**~*~**

"Goodbye my prince…"

Goku saw Nappa with his hand outstretched towards a restrained Vegeta and didn't even hesitate as he hurled himself at the giant saiyan, easily shoving his fist through his back and ripping out his heart with a wet tearing sound. The red lump of muscle jerked in his hand, spurting blood onto Goku's chest plate before the heart stilled and Goku dropped it to the ground with a splattering sound.

He looked up to see Nappa stumble around to stare at him in surprise. For the briefest of seconds Goku was sure Nappa was going to charge him, but then with a groan he toppled over and lay on the floor, twitching as blood pooled around his quivering form. Goku glanced away from the dead body and quickly phased over to Vegeta's side. With a burst of power he quickly powered up to Super Saiyan, not bothering to slowly build his power as he usually did, and with minimal effort he jerked the ki bands free of the wall and Vegeta sprung forward, growling with anger as he powered up to super saiyan as well – lightning crackling around him as he made a show of his transformation.

Together the two saiyans turned to face Frieza who was watching them with an amused little smirk.

"I see you've changed the colour of your hair. My, how quaint." The tyrant laughed heartily. "You don't really thing you can beat me do you?" He asked quietly, gathering his own power as he readied himself to attack. "It was a pity you killed Nappa, he was proving to be quite useful you know." Frieza waved his hand nonchalantly as he didn't really care.

Goku growled and was about to leap at Frieza when Vegeta put a restraining hand on his shoulder and pushed him aside. "This is my fight Kakarot, stand aside." His eyes glanced warningly at Goku before focused his attention on Frieza. "Prepare to meet your end, Frieza!" Vegeta powered up as high as he could go and threw himself at the monstrosity that had ruined his childhood and had forced him to live the life of a virtual slave for most of his life.

Vegeta caught the look of surprise in Frieza's eyes a split second before his fist connected with his face. When he heard the sound of bones crunching under the skin of Frieza's skin it was the best moment of Vegeta's life. He'd been dreaming since he was a small boy of the when he would make Frieza pay – and that day had finally arrived. 

In quick succession he slammed his other fist into the lizard lords stomach and when he doubled over in pain he brought both of his fists down on the back of his neck. Frieza made a garbled sounding scream and quickly swung his tail around, catching Vegeta in the gut when he least expected it. Frieza roared and sprung away from Vegeta while he was doubled over in pain. Quickly he dropped into a fighting stance and waited for the growling saiyan prince to make his move.

"I must admit Vegeta, you're better then I thought you'd be, but you have no hope of winning I hope you know." Frieza jeered, his eyes mocking the little saiyan prince. It was inconceivable to even imagine that he could be beaten by Vegeta – super saiyan or not.

"We'll see." Vegeta smirked, secure in his knowledge that this time he would win. Although he knew Frieza could not sense power levels Vegeta was sure that the monster must have some idea of how powerful he was. The ability to sense power levels was something that he himself possessed - it was one of the abilities that Goku had learnt on Earth and Vegeta had had Goku teach it to him when he had first joined them in space. He could sense that his own power level was slightly higher then that of Frieza's and it gave him an incredible sense of power.

Frieza laughed softly and abruptly went on the attack. Faster then Vegeta could sense Frieza launched himself forward and punched him twice in the face, hard enough to knock Vegeta flying, but not to do any permanent damage. When Frieza phased over him and prepared to hit him again Vegeta easily rolled sideways and missed the punch, at the same time he managed to kick Frieza in the chest and send him flying. He hit the wall on the opposite side of the throne room and cracks appeared in the stone behind him, spider webbing out in all directions. Vegeta howled a war cry and charged Frieza while he was stunned, kicking him twice in the head and punching him rapidly in the chest. When he was finished blood was dribbling down Frieza's face from his nose.

With a small groan Frieza slumped forward onto the ground and his ki died back to what was normal. Vegeta looked at him lying on the ground, surprised that he had won the fight so easily…perhaps he was stronger then he had thought. With a shrug he turned away, not wishing to look at the bloodied site of Frieza lying on the floor. He considered which attack should he use to finish him off - his Gallic Gun attack or the new Final Flash attack he had been working on…

"Vegeta, look out!" Goku's warning rung out and Vegeta's eyes widened as he felt Frieza's ki flare to life again. He turned back around in a flash but wasn't prepare to find Frieza standing up again so close behind him.

"Goodnight little prince." Vegeta whispered forebodingly, a chilling smile on his lips as he formed a ki blast and shot it at Vegeta's chest. Vegeta barely had time to raise his arms to shield himself before the small but powerful blast hit him, propelling him across the floor and crushing him against the wall. Vegeta struggled under the onslaught of the ki beam but the weight of it was far greater then had imaged. It was crushing him…crushing his chest…he couldn't draw a breath…

The pain died away abruptly as the ki beam petered out and Vegeta looked up to find Goku attacking Frieza, rapidly punching and kicking the once all powerful tyrant with a ferocity that Vegeta had never seen in the earth saiyan before. Unwilling to be left out of the fight of his life Vegeta ignored the throbbing of his chest and sprung back across the room and into the fight.

**~*~**

**I will take my place**

**In the great below**

**~*~**

Together the two super saiyans were more then a match for Frieza. They pummelled him with punches and kicks until he was bleeding from a hundred different wounds. Finally when they had beaten him to his knees they stepped back.

"Admit your defeat Frieza." Vegeta demanded, ruthlessly kicking him in the stomach and laughing when all Frieza could manage was a moan. He coughed up blood and glared at the saiyans from glowing red eyes that showed no fear for his fate. "Admit you are weak!" He jeered at Frieza - turquoise eyes alight with power.

"All I admit is this…" Frieza looked away from Vegeta and sneered at Goku. "It was me who sent Turles to your planet." The tyrant laughed at Goku's outraged expression. "I gave him the seed of the tree of might and gave him directions to your planet. I could sense how powerful you were even though Vegeta kept you hidden away for me, and I wanted to see if pushing your buttons would bring out your true power." Frieza coughed up more blood and chuckled again. "I had no idea that Turles would bring back that human bitch – although I must admit watching you slaughter your own brother over her was very amusing."

"It was you?" Goku was having trouble taking in everything that Frieza was saying. It was like some bad dream that he couldn't wake up from.

"Oh yes, it was me. I had no idea of course that you'd turn out to be this strong – I might have reconsidered my plan if I'd had any idea you were going to turn into a super saiyan." Frieza climbed to his feet, wincing with pain. "I achieved my overall goal though. I wanted to change you Kakarot. I wanted to make you into a black-hearted killer – and I succeeded. Your aura is as black as mine now – you have so many deaths weighted upon your shoulders that you're doomed to an after life in hell." Frieza cackled manically as Goku began to visible tremble in rage.

"Do not pay any attention to him Kakarot, he's just trying to get you angry." Vegeta commanded, grabbing hold of Frieza's arm and twisting it up behind his back.

"It's working." Goku hissed from between his teeth. Steam was rising from his body and a fine trembling began to vibrate along the floor as Goku's power level shot right up again.

Frieza had been playing with them all along! He was the one who had been behind the Earths destruction – not Turles! It was him who was responsible for everyone's death and now, now he was saying that he had been trying to change him into a killer all along!

Frieza watched Goku's emotions play across his face and followed them with ease. He chose his words carefully as he began to speak again – determined to push him over the edge. "It doesn't matter how much you try to deny what you are Kakarot, you will always be a killer. Just like me..."

"No. He won't be." A new voice rang out and all three heads turned to look at Bulma who was lying in Raditz arms who was standing gin the doorway. She was dry now but was shivering with cold, her broken arm curled protectively against her body at she glared at Frieza.

"Goku saved my life and saved the life of many other people! The only reason he ever killed was because he thought that by killing people and doing what the saiyans asked of him that he was sparing the lives of the people on Earth. I have looked in the very depths of Goku's soul and I know that he is still good – I wouldn't love him so much if he wasn't." Bulma glared angrily at Frieza. "You have failed Frieza." She spat in Frieza's direction and rested her head against Raditz head, her eyes burning with ferocity despite the tiredness in them.

_[I love you.]_

Bulma's voice rang clear in Goku's head and for the first time ever he felt Bulma open her mind to him _completely_, holding nothing back.

_[Kill Frieza, Goku; end it now.]_

Bulma nodded at him once before she closed her eyes and gave into her exhaustion, sliding into sleep.

Goku looked back at Frieza, his grabbed Frieza's other arm and looked at Vegeta. "She's right, you have failed." Goku smiled chillingly down at Frieza before he and Vegeta began to pull Frieza in two directions.

The tyrant began to scream as his body pulled taunt and his joints began to separate. The muscles and sinews tore free of the bones and with a tearing sound Frieza's skin began to pull apart. The screams of Frieza increased in Volume as Goku and Vegeta both gave a loud war cry and pulled Frieza in two with a mighty heave.

Frieza's insides splattered onto the floor, as did chunks of bone and litres of blood. With a disgusted grunt Goku threw Frieza's remains onto the ground and stepped back, swallowing hastily as he looked down at the terrible sight before him. He looked up and met Vegeta's eyes and an understanding passed between the two of them – they had finally done it; they had killed Frieza and ended his reign of terror.

**~*~**

**I can still feel you**

**Even so far away**

**~*~**

A baby's cry shattered the stillness that had descended upon the scene and Goku turned around to see Zarbon standing near Frieza's throne with Raven held in his arms. The green haired goons mouth was gaping open and shut as he looked at what remained of his over lord.

"No…No I don't…" Zarbon never finished his sentence as Vegeta phased into front of him, snatched Raven fro his arms and kicked Zarbon in the neck, snapping the bones as though they were mere twigs. Zarbon never made a sound as he fell to the ground, his body twisting and snaking on the ground as he danced a macabre death dance.

Vegeta held Raven close him and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down into her bright blue eyes and for the tiny second he was certain he could see intelligence in them. Then the child closed her eyes and snuggled down into his arms.

"I think you've made a friend." Goku had taken Bulma from his brother's arms and was cradling her against him. He walked to Vegeta's side and looked down at his stepdaughter, he knew that in her sleep Bulma could feel his relief at her daughters survival and she sighed with relief from the safety of his arms.

"She loves you a lot." Vegeta whispered to Goku, looking at Bulma with affection. "Despite all your faults she loves you."

"I know." Goku smoothed a hand over her hair and smiled gently. He looked up at Vegeta with shining eyes. "Lets go home."

Together Goku, Raditz, Bulma, and Raven left the throne room led by Vegeta. Their footfalls echoing noisily in the large room as they crossed the floor in a slow procession, watched by ice-jins who had been drawn to the room by the sounds of battle. They slowly made their way out of the castle amidst the fearful looks and whispers of Frieza's people and boarded their ship; leaving behind them the bodies of the vanquished enemies.

Although there were hard times ahead for each and every member of the strange procession that left the throne room that day, the future that stretched ahead of them looked bright for once and that was enough to satisfy each of them.

The rest is silence.

The End 

A/N – Well…did you like the ending? I certainly hope you all did because although it took me about 2 months to write I think the end result was pretty good. I am going to write a Raven/Vegeta fic after this – it will be called "Sweet Heavens" and if you email me I'll be only to happy to let you know when I post the first chapter.

**Thanks for reading this – it's meant a great deal to me that many of you have stayed to read this fic to the end. As always I beg you all to leave me a review and give me your opinion of this fic.**


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